Professor
David Saltzberg
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Most Helpful Review
I cannot say Professor Saltzberg is one of the greatest professors at Physics Department but I cannot say he is a bad professor either. I would say he is an average professor overall. I definitely can tell that he did the best he can to give an excellent education in physics from his efforts both in lectures and outside lectures. Every teacher has strengths and weaknesses. His strengths are he definitely cares about students learning especially for those who also care about learning the beauty of Physics (you know some of us only care about getting good grades without really learning the materials) Go to his office hours and ask questions if you don't understand his lectures. He would be more than willing to guide you step by step until you really understand. In terms of his tests, they are very straightforward. Just do his homeworks and you will do fine in his midterms and final. His weaknesses are lectures often are not clear and always confusing to me, but some students may think he explains well, so it really is relative. But comparing to Prof. Whitten, he is much better!! At least not boring because of his demonstrations. Those who had Prof. Whitten should know this. Overall, I would recommend him for Physics 1B. Remember, go to his office hours if you don't understand. He would explain to you much better than in lectures!
I cannot say Professor Saltzberg is one of the greatest professors at Physics Department but I cannot say he is a bad professor either. I would say he is an average professor overall. I definitely can tell that he did the best he can to give an excellent education in physics from his efforts both in lectures and outside lectures. Every teacher has strengths and weaknesses. His strengths are he definitely cares about students learning especially for those who also care about learning the beauty of Physics (you know some of us only care about getting good grades without really learning the materials) Go to his office hours and ask questions if you don't understand his lectures. He would be more than willing to guide you step by step until you really understand. In terms of his tests, they are very straightforward. Just do his homeworks and you will do fine in his midterms and final. His weaknesses are lectures often are not clear and always confusing to me, but some students may think he explains well, so it really is relative. But comparing to Prof. Whitten, he is much better!! At least not boring because of his demonstrations. Those who had Prof. Whitten should know this. Overall, I would recommend him for Physics 1B. Remember, go to his office hours if you don't understand. He would explain to you much better than in lectures!
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Most Helpful Review
Winter 2016 - Overall, Saltzberg is a good professor. His lectures are pretty interesting, and he cares about teaching the material to students. However, his lectures can be a bit difficult to follow sometimes because of the sheer amount of calculus he does on the board, and on top of that he often gets his negative signs mixed up. The TA for this class, Michael, was fantastic, and going to his office hours was very helpful for the weekly homework and understanding the material better. This class can be a bit difficult, especially for those who haven't had prior experience to E&M. However, the curve is made generous so that students focus on learning the material rather than stressing about grades.
Winter 2016 - Overall, Saltzberg is a good professor. His lectures are pretty interesting, and he cares about teaching the material to students. However, his lectures can be a bit difficult to follow sometimes because of the sheer amount of calculus he does on the board, and on top of that he often gets his negative signs mixed up. The TA for this class, Michael, was fantastic, and going to his office hours was very helpful for the weekly homework and understanding the material better. This class can be a bit difficult, especially for those who haven't had prior experience to E&M. However, the curve is made generous so that students focus on learning the material rather than stressing about grades.
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Most Helpful Review
Spring 2023 - Saltzberg is amazing! He is so fun in the classroom and creates well balanced lectures between slideshows and interactive demos. The class has two midterms and one final all of which were pretty simple, but you do need to study for them especially when the material gets more difficult. Homework and in class assignments were very simple and the TAs really help with labs so you don't have to worry about that. If you want a fun and easy GE defiantly take his class!
Spring 2023 - Saltzberg is amazing! He is so fun in the classroom and creates well balanced lectures between slideshows and interactive demos. The class has two midterms and one final all of which were pretty simple, but you do need to study for them especially when the material gets more difficult. Homework and in class assignments were very simple and the TAs really help with labs so you don't have to worry about that. If you want a fun and easy GE defiantly take his class!
Most Helpful Review
Saltzberg is the best physics professor I have ever had. He really knows his stuff, he went to Princeton, he genuinely cares about student learning, he is a relatively easy grader, and he is pretty funny and a very nice guy. I took this class with like 95% pre-meds and HOLY CRAP PRE-MEDS ARE SO STUPID WHEN IT COMES TO PHYSICS! Lecture is a must, discussion is a waste unless you are really stupid, tests are very fair, grading is liberal (his curve circles around a B/B-). Take his class! You won't regret it!
Saltzberg is the best physics professor I have ever had. He really knows his stuff, he went to Princeton, he genuinely cares about student learning, he is a relatively easy grader, and he is pretty funny and a very nice guy. I took this class with like 95% pre-meds and HOLY CRAP PRE-MEDS ARE SO STUPID WHEN IT COMES TO PHYSICS! Lecture is a must, discussion is a waste unless you are really stupid, tests are very fair, grading is liberal (his curve circles around a B/B-). Take his class! You won't regret it!
Most Helpful Review
Winter 2022 - Professor Saltzberg is very approachable. He is assumed to be very busy as the chair of Physics department but he replied to any messages in Slack very fast. If you want to get along with any experimental physics, take this class as early as possible. I took it during the second quarter of sophomore and I wish to take it earlier. By the way, don't worry about the grade. Try to understand each lab in every step and you will be fine.
Winter 2022 - Professor Saltzberg is very approachable. He is assumed to be very busy as the chair of Physics department but he replied to any messages in Slack very fast. If you want to get along with any experimental physics, take this class as early as possible. I took it during the second quarter of sophomore and I wish to take it earlier. By the way, don't worry about the grade. Try to understand each lab in every step and you will be fine.
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