1. How do you pronounce your name?
First, I would like to point out that the following are not examples of my name:
- Dr. Kloepel
- Dr. Kloepelm
- Dr. Kloepelman
- Dr. Kloepelmann
- Dr. Loepelman
- Dr. Leopelmann
- Dr. Leo Pelmann
- K.Lo
- Capt. John Q. Highliner
My name is pronounced "LOW-pull-man". If you can't pronounce that, you can call me “Dr. Karsten”. I kinda like that; it makes me feel like Dr. Phil.
2. What courses do you teach?
I maintain a complete, updated list of courses that I am currently teaching, plus courses that I have been assigned in the future.
3. Can you get me into your class that's full?
No. I have no way to access the registration system, and even if I could I would not be able to add you to any class that's full. If you want to get into a class that's full, you have to keep trying Bear Tracks.
4. What's up with all the blanks in the online lecture notes?
I have a separate frequently asked questions list about the blanks.
5. Why didn't you respond to my e-mail?
If you send me e-mail from Hotmail, for example, it tacks on a couple of lines of advertising at the end of your message. My junk filter may block your message. Send me e-mail from your UofA e-mail address only.
If you send me email at the end of term asking me to change/bump up your final grade, I will ignore it. By the time you see your marks on my website, I've already submitted the final grades--they're out of my hands, and I cannot change them no matter how nicely you ask.
6. Why are your lecture notes copyright?
On the bottom of each page of lecture notes, there's a link to a copyright agreement. Every few years, some students get the bright idea of selling lecture notes to other students. I don't want anyone making money off my (free) lecture notes. I also don't want any student in my classes paying for my (free) lecture notes. The copyright notice is my way of preventing that.
7. How do you select textbooks for your courses?
I try to pick textbooks by these criteria:
- readability (do the explanations make sense?)
- balance (are various theories treated equally?)
- currency (does it cover up-to-date research?)
- supplements (study guide/website available?)
- availability (still being published? used copies available?)
- cost (before bookstore markup)
8. What books have you written?
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OK, well, it's only one book...so far. I'm co-author of Nelson Education's book Introduction to Psychology: Concept Charts, which is packaged with several intro psych textbooks. The ISBN-10 is 0-17-617723-X, ISBN-13 is 978-0-17-617723-2. My mom is so proud. |
9. What is your research area?
My training is in the area of perception and psychophysics; specifically, my area of specialization is tactile perception, and how the skin senses process information. I am interested in sensory substitution: using one sense modality as a replacement or enhancement to an impaired sense. Braille is an example of sensory substitution: visually impaired/blind people use the sense of touch to "read". One of my goals is to apply the results of this research to the development of technological devices that can serve as auxiliary channels of information.
Currently, I am emphasizing the applied nature of research, and am active in a field known as human factors. "Human factors discovers and applies information about human behaviors, abilities, limitations, and other characteristics to the design of tools, machines, systems, tasks, jobs, and environment for productive, safe, comfortable and effective human use" (Chapanis, 1985). I am very interested in issues of design, and systems theory.
10. What is your position?
Officially, I am a "Faculty Lecturer" for the Faculty of Science in the Department of Psychology. That means I have to teach 10 courses per academic year. (That's actually a reduction; I used to teach about 14 courses per year.) Also, I have been appointed "Adjunct Professor" in the Department of Psychology, for 2000-2005. This position allows me to apply for research grants.
More generally, I am a member of a group known as Contract Academic Staff - Teaching (or what used to be known as a "sessional"). If you want to know more about sessionals, there's a good article, A Few Thoughts about Sessionals, in the May, 2002 issue of the Canadian Association of University Teachers' Bulletin. Another is Equity, ethics, academic freedom and the employment of contingent academics in the May, 2009 issue of Academic Matters.
11. Can you be a supervisor for Honours students, or graduate students?
The Faculty Lecturer position allows me be a supervisor for an Honours psychology student. I may be able to co-supervise a graduate student in psychology. I can also supervise an Individual Research (PSYCO 496) student, depending on the courses you've taken, and your grades in those courses.
The downside is that I do not have a laboratory, so the kinds of research I am able to supervise are limited; also, if I have a particularly busy semester, I may not be able to supervise all students who wish to work with me.
12. Didn't you used to...?
Yes, I used to be the Statistical Consultant for the Internship Program in Psychology from 2001 to 2003.
Yes, I was the Department of Psychology's Undergraduate Program Advisor from 1995 to 1998. If you have questions about courses, majoring, or careers in psychology, please see the Undergraduate Program Advisor.
Yes, I used to teach at Grant MacEwan College from 1996-2000. Yes, I taught for a semester at Augustana University College in Camrose. Currently, I have chosen to focus on my teaching and research at the University of Alberta.
Yes, I worked one summer at Arby's. I was the Salad Person.
13. What are your ratings?
Near the end of the semester in every class, you fill out an evaluation of your instructors--including me. I read all of your comments, and take these very seriously. My classes are shaped, in part, by the feedback that you give me. You can check out my Universal Student Ratings of Instruction online.
I take my ratings at RateMyProfessors.com a bit less seriously. (But at least they spelled my name right! ;-) Hey, there's even a "Rate Your Students" website, too.
14. Will you write me a letter of reference?
An academic letter of reference is typically used by graduate school (or school of optometry, chiropractic, etc.) in a tie-breaker situation. That is, if two candidates are essentially equally qualified (i.e., grades, research experience, etc.), a letter may be used to differentiate between them. Note that a letter of reference cannot be used to "make up for" low grades!
For me to be able to write an academic letter of reference (say, if you're applying to grad school, med school, etc.) I have to be able to assess your academic performance. Unfortunately, if you were a student in a class of 200 students writing multiple choice exams, I can't really speak to your potential for further academic work in a meaningful way. Sorry, but that means I am not willing to write you a letter of reference if you were a student only in my 100- or 200-level classes.
However, if you've taken my PSYCO 365 or 494 courses, I am better able to assess your academic potential. To write a letter of reference, I require: 1) a current copy of your transcripts, 2) a resume, and 3) a letter listing your strengths and weaknesses, plus any forms that I need to fill out (please fill your personal information in these forms first). Please allow me at least 2 weeks to prepare this letter, otherwise I cannot promise to meet any deadlines.
Please consider that a letter of reference from someone with the title of "Professor" is going to carry a lot more weight than any letter I write. In the worst case, any letter that's not from a Professor may even be disregarded. Finally, I regret that I cannot provide any personal letter of reference.
15. What world records do you hold?
I am one of many world record-holders at the Atari 2600 video game Megamania. In 1982, I reached the highest possible score: 999,999. It was a very emotional moment for me, the result of a lot of hard work and practice and I'd just like to thank my agent, my manager, my parents who always believed in me but always called me for dinner in the middle of a game, and...
Um, sorry. Be sure to ask me for my autograph.
16. What is the craziest thing you've done in class?
First of all, in psychology, we don't like to use the word "crazy." Preferred terms include "nuts," or "wackozoid." (If you're not sure if I'm joking or not: If it's funny, I'm joking.)
The highlight of classroom experiences has to be proposing to my wife. (She wasn't my wife when I proposed to her--that wouldn't make sense. Why would I propose to someone who was already married to me? But I can't really say "proposing to my future wife" because she is my wife now. I suppose she will still be my wife in the future, but--hey, you're just trying to confuse me. How's this: "proposing to the woman to whom I am married"?)
From The Gateway, Volume 86, Issue 12, Thursday, October 17, 1996:
Romantic Psych
Professor proposes in front of his psychology students
by Susan Sava
Professor Karsten Loepelmann's Psychology 104 class witnessed a special event on Friday, September 27. Towards the end of the 8 a.m. class, Loepelmann said he would prove that he had psychic ability, and required a volunteer for a demonstration of his powers. He wandered between the desks and said, "I need to find the prettiest girl in the room." After selecting a woman, he brought her to the front of the class and said he would guess her name by placing it on the overhead projector.
When Loepelmann turned the projector on, it flashed the words: "Lisa, will you marry me?" Loepelmann got down on one knee and proposed to his fiancée, Dr. Lisa Rebus. She said yes, and the couple shared a kiss in front of the class, who erupted into cheers.
"It was more than I'd hoped for," said Loepelmann. "I wasn't sure how [the students] would take it. They were very supportive."
The marriage proposal was well-thought out, said Loepelmann. "We were discussing it for a while. [Lisa] said that whenever she got proposed to, she wanted it to be a surprise...over dinner is not a surprise."
Loepelmann's fiancée didn't say yes to make sure she gets a 9 in her psych class; Rebus, who received her M.D. from the U of A in August, was only visiting the class. "The U of A has been a big part of both of our lives," said Loepelmann.
Errors in above story:
- I actually proposed on Friday, October 4
- Lisa got her M.D. in 1992 (not August of 1996)
- I didn't "wander" between the desks; I appeared to wander
The real problem is, how do I top that? ;-)