Discovering Curiosity: Erwin Bautista Leads the Classroom
When Erwin Bautista, a lecturer in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, looks at the human body, he doesn’t see just the individual parts—the cells, organs, tissues, muscles and bones—he sees the sum.
“Whenever I teach things, I always tell students that physiologists love acronyms,” said Bautista. “We love naming things; we love all these itty-bitty points and details. But at the same time, we also love the big picture, and we’re going to try to impress upon you the big picture.”
For Bautista, teaching is a calling. Students place their trust in his hands, and it’s his responsibility to shepherd their knowledge of biological concepts. With more than 15 years of experience at UC Davis, he’s taught an array of classes, from gastrointestinal physiology to comparative organology.
“We all have an obligation for service,” he said. “I really dig the fact that when people talk about the biggest influences in their lives, they mention teachers. So it’s a huge responsibility. It’s kind of scary and thrilling at the same time, but I like the fact that I can really have a positive impact on people.”