Dr. Oppenheimer, an exceptional mentor and teacher, brings thirty-five years of commitment to student research. He never turns away a student. His model is to open wide his laboratory to students of all economic strata and ethnic groups. He has recognized that the GPA is not always the best indicator of ability. Dr. Oppenheimer believes that laboratory research experiences should be available to all interested students. He has been known to take as many as 40 students per semester in his lab. His open door policy exposes many students to research who had not previously envisioned themselves in this realm. His accessibility allows exposure of science to many students that had previously not considered STEM study and research in their futures. Dr. Oppenheimer has authored and co-authored fourteen textbook editions that disseminate his teaching style. He is prolific in publishing scientific papers, with hundreds of student authors. His dedication to mentoring undergraduates has resulted in 100 undergraduate students having two-year experiences in his laboratory. Of these, 66 were female students and 33 were minorities. His expectation is that any interested student can succeed in scientific research and can go far into the professional career ranks of science, including the Ph.D. and M.D. Dr. Oppenheimer has also spearheaded a program for K-12 teachers who teach in San Fernando Valley. These teachers work in predominantly minority schools. The program has enhanced their ability to present science in exciting and dynamic ways. From their own laboratory experiences in the summer with mentors, the teachers are encouraged to develop inquiry-based teaching methods for science. As part of this effort, Dr. Oppenheimer developed the Student Abstract Journal. Students of teachers who have trained under Dr. Oppenheimer prepare abstracts, which are reviewed and published. This project inspires students to consider science at this early age and maximizes their ability to acquire the necessary coursework for a college science major.
