Simek, Jan  

What a great guy! My chemistry background was minimal going into the course: I took basic chemistry my junior year of high school. Chemistry 110 is designed specifically for those who have very little interest in chemistry and are looking to fill a GE requirement. Most concepts are related to everyday events (oh, so THAT'S why you're not supposed to mix cleaning supplies!). The labs were great: I made a bar of soap and got an absolute kick out of extracting fat from Oreos and potato chips. Dr. Simek is a great guy. I enjoyed his frequent e-mails to the class regarding interesting websites, tips for upcoming tests, and random humor. He went out of his way to ensure that students were prepared for tests and were comfortable with the material. A word to the wise: attend the lectures! I quickly discovered that reading the book wasn't the most time-efficient way to study, Dr. Simek covers almost all of the test material in his lectures. This is a great class for your GE requirement, enjoy!

Simek is an awsome teacher, and everything came naturally to me. He doesn't take role and almost encourageds you to skip lectures. there are three midtems and he drops your lowest one. no due homework, the labs are fun and you get out like an hour early... no one got an F in his spring quarter classes... I highly reccomend him.

I only had Simek for lab, but it was good. I would totally take him again if I had the opportunity to do so. We had straight forward lab quizes a few times during the quarter, but we did pretty interesting labs. My recremendation definately goes out to Simek!

Simek is your best bet for chem 110. He gives 3 midterms and a final and 3 easy homework assignments throughout the quarter to help your grade. His lectures aren't bad, he is sometimes funny. The best part is that he tells you exactly want is going to be on the tests and he keeps old exams on electronic reserve though the library for you to study off of. All the tests are multiple choice with a few calculations and there are never any surprises. What he says is going to be on the test, will be on the test, nothing more. He also lets you replace your lowest midterm grade with your final grade if you want. As long as you read and/or listen well in lecture you will do fine in his class.

I've had many classes at poly, and Simek is one of the best. I've had friends that have had him for O-Chem and they even recomended him. His class is very fair. If you go to class and do the hw, his class is a breeze. Chem is not the easiest subjects, but Simek makes it painless as possible.

simek really wants students to due well, although he makes you stay at class until it is exactly on the hour. he has files on reserve with all old midterms and makes it so there are not any surprises. it would be easy to get an A in the class...i was sick for a week...and he makes class entertaining. you can drop your lowest midterm grade and double your final which makes midterms not so stressful if you have a bad week. he really cares about his students and is a great professor for someone who is not all that great in science

Simek is a great professor. I learned a lot in his class and with a little more effort I could have easily got an A. His class isn't very difficult. He presents his material well and is very eager for his students to understand chemistry. He is a great professor to take!

Best professor for those people just hvaing to take Chem for GE or support. I went into this class thinking I was going to die because I hadn't even touched a chem book since high school, but he made it so easy. He is also hilarious. I had his morning class and usually would not go, but his quirky funny sense of humor got me there most mornings. His test are 100% fair and very easy as long as you take notes or at least pay attention, the course was practically just a basic review of what I learned in high school. I only had to do a few short papers that he provided most of the inofrmation for you, you just had to go to a website and copy down information. Trust me, I thought this would be just another class I had to go to get my degree, but this has actually been one of my favorite classes, I almost thought about switching to a chem major. (and if you can get Dr Baxley for lab, do it! She is just as fun and as good as a professor!)

This guy was awesome. He presented the material clearly, the text was easy to understand, the tests were actually testing your knowledge and were not impossible, and he is very helpful during office hours. This was the first chem class I have ever taken in my life and it made me actually ENJOY chemistry.

Simek was a great teacher...easy to understand and really wants to help his students. He gives pretty good study guides for his tests (which there are three of). However, if you scre wup he replaces it with your grade on the final (which is pretty simple because he gives you and pretty good study guidE). I'd take him again for Chem.

Dr. Simek is the best professor I have had at Cal Poly. He made chemistry fun and easy. He is so nice and hilarious! His practice exams were extremely helpful. Definitely take him for CHEM 110!

He's an awesome professor, teaches to all ways of learning and probably the best teacher at Cal Poly. Take him for Chem 110 - easiest way to get through Chem especially if its not your major.

I absolutly love him as a teacher, I had him for lab and lecture. In lecuter he tries to keep everyihng interesting and up beat. Also, he is funny and tries to make good analogies for chemistry concepts. I used to hate Chemistry until I had his class. I aslo recommend the SI course, it helped alot and he always office hours. The only set back is that he is not very good one on one. He is not personable, but I never needed to approach him, so I didn't bother me much. In lab, he is more difficult becuase he quizes almost every week and unless you really know your concepts there is no way you can do well. Try and have him for lecture, maybe not for lab.

Professor Simek always comes to class prepared and ready to teach. You can see his love for chemistry and his profession. He shows a genuine concern for his students and is easily approachable for questions.

Simek was awesome. His lectures are easy to follow, the tests are very fair. You can get old copies of his exams at second edition. The problems are very similar to what will be on your exams. He takes the time to help you understand. Like holding special saturday sessions before the final exam to answer students questions. I hated chem before I took this class. Simek made it easy to understand and enjoyable. Take his classes if you get the chance.

Simek is an awesome Chem teacher!!! He is really funny and even though his jokes are sometimes corny, he tries to make you laugh (and you will). His demonstrations are well-explained and the midterms and final are all multiple choice. Plus, previous exams are available and I RECOMMEND YOU GET THEM! Basically all of the questions on the old exams are similar to the exams you'll take and you can study off of them. Make sure you go to all the lectures, or else you'll easily get behind. If you don't go, make sure someone you know takes good notes. I highly recommend him!!! Try and get him for lab, too!

When he tells you to go buy his previous quarters' test, GO BUY THEM FROM SECOND EDITION. The tests you will have will be almost identical to the previous quarter. He is a great teacher who always comes prepared for class, he is organized, he has a sense of humor and presents the material clearly and is always available for help. He has 4 exams and you can drop one of your tests and then he will double your final to make up for it. The tests are very fair and he will send you emails telling you what to study for question by question. I highly recommend this teacher, he is one of the best.

Dr. Simek is a great teacher. He won't just hand you the answer in lab though, you will have to work for it but he will help you along the way. His quizes are simple if you read over the previous weeks labs ahead of time. The lab final was no stress either. Labs are fun and you are usually out early depending on how fast you finish the lab. I highly recommend this teacher.

This is honestly the best class i have taken while at Cal Poly. Seriously, i am an aggie, and i had as much fun with Simek as I did in a tractor driving course I took. I had Simek for lecture and lab. In lecture, he goes over everything you need to know, and will stop to explain it if you ask him. He makes the class both fun and enjoyable. I did take the SI course, just to get the extra unit, but it really helped me in class. Espeacially on the 3 or 4 midterms he gave. The only real study/ review I did was in SI for midterms. As a result, I had the trid highest grade at the end, but dropped the ball on the final. This is a great class. So if youhave to take 111 or 110, TAKE SIMEK!

Take Simek if you have to take Chem 111. Everyone I talked to in my major recommended him and he was a really good teacher. Yes, he's a quirky guy, but he's got a decent sense of humor and isn't too boring to listen to. He can be a little intimidating to ask for help, but take advantage of his office hours.

If you have difficulty in this class, Professor Simek is there for you. He pretty much demands that you go to his office hours. He does give weekly lab quizzes and long midterms. I recommend investing in a graphing calculator so you can program all the laws and equations. Chemistry is a lot to remember. And, don't count on easy Final. It's not his hardest test, but you really need to study everything!

Professor Simek is amazing. He comes to class well prepared and he even has demos every-once-in-a-while to really help you know what's going on. Your grade is based upon 3 midterms and one final. They're all decently hard/easy, he always gives you the info for the tests about 2 days before. He also will drop your lowest midterm and replace it with your final if you so choose to. He's really funny, some of his jokes are kinda corny, but they make you smile. I had his class at 9:30 in the morning and was never awake, but i never feel asleep in his class, he keeps you laughing and interested in the material. He gives you a lot of notes, take them, they really help. He's also always there if you have any questions. If you can get him for any class, i recommend him greatly. I know i haven't had many classes, but i'm not sure i'll ever find a teacher as great as Professor Simek.

Simek was the best Chem teacher I have ever had. I am not usually that great at chemistry, but Simek is very clear and easy to understand. His tests are fair and he has old tests on reserve to study from. Great teacher overall.

He was a pretty good professor. I hate chemistry and science in general, but I found the class to be not so bad. The fact that he has old tests to study from is great and helped me a lot. He was there to answer questions in lab if you were having problems. Take him if you have to take 111.

Simek is an incredibly wonderful teacher. He presents the material so that it's easy to understand and he makes it fun. Almost every day he performs an experiment to demonstrate what he's talking about in his lecture. He's so excited about chemistry and his excitment is contagious. He posts all his old exams with answers so that we will know almost exactly what will be on the midterms and final. He even emails us a week before the test telling us exactly what will be on the test. He curves the grades at the end to bolster everyone's grades. There is no homework that is due, but he suggests practice problems to do. He is absolutely an amazing teacher. Three midterms and a final and if you take the practice tests he posts online, you'll get an A!

Simek tries way too hard to be funny, yet some of the stuff he says is funny only because its stupid or corny. He's your typical nerdy, fifty-something dorky dad-like professor. Take Simek for any chem class and be sure to print out his old exams, that saved my ass from failing his exams. O yeah don't buy the book...its a waste of money and unnecessary...you'll do fine with just his notes.

Dr. Simek was the best professor I have had at my 2 years at Cal Poly. I am not much of a chemistry person but he made the class fun and he made me want to do well. I used his practice exams and they helped me tremendously. Go to his office hours, because they definitely help to clarify things

Simek is probably the best professor that I have had, so far, at Cal Poly. The chemistry department (to my amazment) has been really great!

Quite possibly the best teacher I have ever had. I was totally intimidated by chemistry, but he makes it o.k. The guy knows what he is talking about. I never missed a lecture and kept up with the homework and I got an A. He is so nice and approachable, and fair. He tells you what is going to be on the test. If you try you will succeed in his class. Take him if you can!

I was dreading taking chemistry and Professor Simek definately made this class much more bearable. He sends his students e-mails outlining the types of questions that are going to be on the exam. In addition, he gives you access to old tests through the library e-reserves (definatly go over these, they help alot). I took the Supplemental workshop class and that was very helpful. It meets 2 nights a week from 6-7:30. At the workshop you are given worksheets and able to ask any questions you have. The workshop helps you to keep up with the material. I would recommend Simek and also taking the supplemental workshop class.

Simek is a good teacher during lecture. He presents the info well and makes it interesting but if you are to go to him during office hours he makes you feel like a complete idiot. He is very arrogant and hard to talk to on a one on one basis. Very intimidating!

I was SO intimidated by taking organic chemistry, and not only did Dr. Simek ease my fears, he made me actually enjoy the class. Dr. Simek is by far one of the best teachers I have had here at Cal Poly. He is awesome about explaining and doing demonstrations to clarify confusing concepts. I would say he also truly cares that his students learn, and get something out of his class. He was funny and gave an enjoyable, organized lecture. I would recommend this teacher to anyone, but especially people that are terrified of organic chemistry.

One good thing about Dr. Simek is that he does make his old exams available and basically tells everyone exactly what will be on the tests. His lectures are organized and if you can understand everything by going to class (and sitting through his excruciatingly stupid and slightly creepy jokes) then good for you. However, if you need to go to his office hours, be prepared to feel stupid. He will work with you until the concept is drilled into your head, but the process will humble you like no other. At first it appears that he cares about the well-being and sucess of his students but speaking to him in person will cause you to think otherwise. Basically don't take this guy if someone else is available.

I held out for 2 quarters to take O-Chem with Dr. Simek because after getting an A from him for Chem 111, I thought I would benefit from having him for 312. Let me be the first to tell you: this class in NOWHERE close to being easy! Even though he made his old exams available to study off, emailed us an outline of what would be on the test question for question, and tended to the mass that went to office hours the week before the test, the material was an uphill struggle the whole way!!! I have never (and I mean NEVER) studied so many hours for a test, only to get C's on them. I managed to pull a B-, but god... it was the struggle of my life.

Great teacher with great personality. If you're going to take any chemistry class, definately take simek...

Dr. Simek was a wonderful teacher. I am so glad I was able to get into his class because he made OChem sooooo much easier than what it could have been. Definetly get his study guides and old tests, they really help. Make sure to go to class because there's a lot of info in the lecutres that you won't understand as well if u just read the book. The tests are really straight forward and he gives you a question by question outline of the test. He actually made his lecutres sorta fun and he's really good about explaining things if you dont understand something. If you stay up with the material and get help when you need it you'll do good in this class. I high reccomend Dr. Simek.

Simek was an awesome teacher. He explains the lectures very clearly. he gives you lots of handouts to follow along with so you arent constantly copying things off the board. He is funny and friendly. He gives you copies of old exams to practice with and even sneds you an outline of the midterms before you take them so that you know what to expect.

Simek is an awesome teacher when it comes to explaining the material and keeping the focus of students. He's really funny and has great ways of helping you remember the material. Beware students who expect to get an A... he's a hard grader and few students actually get A's. i got A's on the first three tests (one was 100%) and still got a B... but i also think he doesn't like to fail kids either.

Dr.Simek was a great instructor. He wants to see you do well and gives you every opportunity to do it. The homework in the class isn't due but I highly recommend you do it. Some of the questions are used exactly on the test. The tests aren't bad if you do the reading and homework. He doesn't give away answers in class but his lectures are always helpful. If every instructor was like Simek, everyone would love to go to class!

Simek is the best Chem teacher out there. I got a C but that was just because the material is hard. He presents it in an informative and entertaining way that made going to class not a chore. This is the 2nd quarter in a row I've had him (I took him for General Chem) because I enjoy his style so much.

Simek is a wonderful teacher. His tests are hard. They are all sicle the write answer (multiple choice kinda format without a scantron)He's very willing to help students who try. The class is a lot of work, but the lectures are very entertaining. I'd take one of his classes again for sure...

Simek's test are hard but his lectures are awsome. O-chem in general is a very hard class. He tries his best to help students. He teaches big lecture halls with 100 or more students so he does very will with the amount of work he has to handel. He's always willing to help you. I do reccomend writing your own final at the end if you wanto summerize everything and do really well on the final

He is a funny guy. I enjoyed his lecures, but this class was HARD!!! Organic chemistry is going to be hard. He taught it well, and told us what was on ethe exams and even gave us his old exams to study with. He is a great teacher.

He is the best O-Chem Prof!!! I studyied a fair amount, but I got 100% on the first exam! Any O-Chem professor that teaches the information well enough that a student can score so well is indeed amazing!

Simek is an excellent professor, as well as a comedian. He makes O chem. as easy as possible to understand. He is very helpful during his office hours. Take Simek!!

Simek is an amazing professor. I was dreading taking any Organic Chemistry class and after taking it with him I have no fear of any Science related class especially chemistry. He is so clear in lecture and answers questions perfectly. I don't know where they found this guy but we should get all our professors from there

Dr. Simek was a great teacher. I had him at 8am 4 days a week and he made the class barable. He gave the whole class access to his old tests and was very helpful during his office hours. Not only does he know a lot about ochem, but he is such a hilarious guy! This class is hard, but he makes it possible to get a good grade.

Ok, so this is the 2nd time I've taken Simek and he's still amazing. Yes I only got a C, but the class is relatively hard. But Simek rules. I've waited 3 quarters just to have him as my Survey of Organic Chemistry teacher. That should tell you something. He's a lot of fun, really easy to talk to, and he makes things really clear. Reactions in this class get really tricky towards the end of the quarter, so watch out for that, but if you don't understand things, go see him at his office during office hours. He's really friendly and willing to help in any way he can. He'll even give you candy. Great teacher I totally recommend this guy. He'll keep you interested and he'll make things easy to understand. You can't go wrong with Simek.

In 1987, I was a science-fearing music undergrad. watching my very smart college friends get eaten alive by Organic Chemistry. I was GREATLY relieved that in my field(s) of interest, I would never need to take O.Chem. Of course, 19 years later, my interests changed & my rendevous with O.Chem. finally arrived. Quaking in my boots, I attended Dr. Simek's 312 classes & not only pulled an A, but found that I really dig chemistry, & particularly Organic Chemistry! How crazy is that? Simek is a very helpful, caring man who will totally accomodate anyone struggling with the subject matter. I admit I've seen him be a bit cool towards other students in office hours, but this was rare & seemed to occur with students who weren't there for serious help (like they missed lectures & just wanted him to teach them the material without attempting to get class notes or reading the textbook. I know I have the benefit of life experience (being in my 30's), & that this subject can be very hard for younger people, but it can be that hard for people of any age, as it sure was for me. I studied my butt off more than any other class I've ever had, but it paid off, & Simek was a big part of it. I heeded his early advice to GET WITH A STUDY GROUP, & that made things so much easier, too. His handouts were really straightforward & helpful, but not as linear as I would have liked (too much jumping around within all the handouts over the course of the quarter). Nonetheless, if O.Chem. intimidates you, take Simek: he'll help you overcome your fear.

The best Organic chemistry on the face of Planet Earth. What more can I say. Take him and rock with Organic Chem. You will not regret it, unless you fail to take a prority to get into his class. That tells you something..He is so great...EVERYONE Wants to be in his class. The exams on fairly to the point - if you study and keep up with the class you will get A-B'ish, Excellent teacher.

Simek is a real nice guy, he tries to make the material easy to learn and he even tries to crack jokes every lecture. He's an EXTREMELY fair grader. For every test, even the final, he lets you have access to the tests he gave last quarter which are exactly the same as the tests he will give you but just with different questions. This is the sole reason I think I passed ochem! Also, if you've had the general chem series prior taking the class it helps alot. You'll find that the 1st 3 weeks of the class is just review and that the 1st test is incredibly easy. The only part that I didn't like about this class is the various handouts that he teaches from. He's teaches from overheads and gives you handouts of all the overheads but because there's so many different subjects and overheads, it gets realy confusing trying to study from them! But besides this, I highly recommend Dr Simek for anyone that has to take ochem ( If you have to take the general chem series, this class is 10x easier! I took this class right after chem 129 with jones and ochem compared to that was a breeze!)

Simek is amazing to say the least. He is very clear in his lectures and wants his students to succeed. I am basically in love with him and he is an awesome professor. Take him if you can because it it totally worth your time. LOOOOOVEEEE SIMEK!!!!!!!!!

SIMEK IS THE MAN! He is an amazing professor with a lot of character.....Take him if you fully want to grasp the subject. He just might be my all time favoritve... A delight to be around. You don't find people like him every day. Love you Simek you are highly respected

Dr. Simek is the best teacher I've had at Poly. I was so nervous to take OChem but he made it do-able. He spiced up his lectures with some jokes (same ones every quarter, I've heard) and he's just a really genuine guy. Go to office hours- he is very approachable and really wants you to do well. I wish I could take him again. Oh, and don't buy the solutions manual$$$, it is available online for free!! http://chemweb.calpoly.edu/cbailey/BaileyText/ Click study guide and solutions, it is there by chapter. Good luck!

Simek is an amazing professor! He has 4 midterms and a final. The final grade replaces your lowest midterm score, even if you miss one. He explains things very clearly. I was so intimidated going into Organic Chemistry but Simek took that fear away and actually made it fun and interesting. He's got large models to help you understand and see the 3D molecules. He frequently brings in demonstrations to help you understand things. He is an amazing professor! Not only is he the best Chem professor at Poly, he is THE BEST PROFESSOR PERIOD AT POLY!!! If there is anyway you can take a class with him before he leaves and retires, DO IT!!! Love you Simek!!

This guys is organized, almost obsessive. I think he has OCD, but it makes him a great teacher. He's been teaching forever, it seems. He knows what works and what doesn't. He smiles, is interesting in class, and has a dry wit. He hands out old tests, and gives you the key with your graded exams, which are always handed back ASAP. This guy wants you top learn. He seems unapproachable, but once you talk to him and submit yourself, he's more than willing to help. If you go to lecture and look at the tests, you should do alright. He makes you work for it in lab though. He's not going to just tell you the answer to something, you need to figure it out first.

Dr. Simek is the BEST organic professor on the campus except for Schoonover. His classes are really fun, and he presents the material in a way that makes it really easy to understand.

dr. simek is one of the best professors ive had at poly. i took chem 316 with marlier in the fall and got a D. but then when i took it with simek i got a B. he explains concepts better than anyone and its great at helping out in office hours. he puts his old tests online and give you detailed outlines of all his tests so you know what to expect. hes challenging, but also an amazing professor. take him if you get the chance!

Simek is the man! He doesn't go too fast, not too slow... and he always pauses for people to ask questions. He really cares about his students.

I did not do well in this class because of my schedule but Dr. Simek is one of the best professors I have ever had. He presents the material clearly and as concisely as Ochem can be presented. His notes are thorough and his offering of old tests is extremely helpful. Whatever non-graded homework he assigns MUST be done along with all of the supplements he offers-this is the only way to be successful. He is easilly approachable and an extremely kind person. I'll probably be repeating the class but will wait for him. Highly recommended.

Dr. Simek is hands down the best professor at Cal Poly...Too bad he\'s not teaching anymore. Everyone who did not experience his lectures and labs will be thoroughly missing out. Have a happy retirement Simek, you will be missed dearly!!!

Simek make student's work hard. I don't like too work hard.

To clarify, I had J. Simek only for the lab portion of Chem 317 so this may not apply to his lectures. He is absolutely the most arrogant and condescending professor I have encountered at Poly. This is a difficult and downright frustrating lab. It takes a certain amount of patience on a professor's part to aid the students' efforts. Simek lacks this patience. Many times I felt like a complete moron when he would correct my mistakes. I also noted similar reactions from other students when he corrected their mistakes. If students made no mistakes, we wouldn't have to pay for guys like him to constructively critique our work. Simek ought to seriously contemplate the concept of teaching as guidance, not teaching as humiliation.

Simek is a really good lecturer if you don't need examples. Organic chem is hard as it is and he presents it as clearly as possible. I had him for 316 and his test were very stright forward, however they got worse in 317. Also, he seems like a cook in lecture but don't expect a smile in office hours. He was very rude to me the few times i went and made me feel stupid. I heard hes like that in lab but I guess he doesn't teach lab anymore.

Dr. SImek is an awesome teacher and is really funny in class. He seems to absolutely love organic chemistry and knows everything about. He tries his best to present the material as simple as possible but for me ochem just does not click and I still got a C. The class is insanely hard but it will be with and teacher and Simek at least makes class time somewhat enjoyable.

The class was hella hard, but he explained things very well. He gave us answer keys after every midterm so we can learn what we messed up on, because the commonly missed questions always repeated themselves in one way or another. There were 3 midterms and a final. Lab was worth 2 midterms. He had this VERY fair system of replacing your lowest midterm score with the score you get on the final, if it helps your grade. It bumped me from a c to a b. Overall, a very good teacher.

Simek is a very nice man who is obviously way more intelligent than you. That can be intimidating, especially in lab, but at least you know that everyone is getting judged in the same way. Doesn't play favorites, makes lab really enjoyable, and is very helpful in office hours (yay candy!). Simek is a very affective communicator and makes learning o-chem as pain free as it can be.

When b2-4ac<0, two roots occur, one complex and one imaginary, the latter and Simek are both to be found in the same world. Simek's avuncular demenor is a guise. He persuades students to line up at his door like sheep seeking out their shepherd. He cares more of appearance than substancce. His grading is subjective and based upon compliance. Simek feeds off of emotional resonse and those who don't nourish his sickness are castigated. A poor investment in your future, let alone to say your mind.

I took organic chemistry purely for my own benefit knowing it wasn't required for me to graduate. If I would have gone to polyratings before the class and read Dr. Simek's reviews, I might not have taken the class. About two weeks into the class I read what people had written and was shocked! I found none of what had been written was true. Dr. Simek is very motivated to teach organic chemistry and let's his class know it. Through displays, students, and jokes the material is presented to us very clearly. Then, to prepare for a test, he sells old copies of his tests and emails everyone letting us know how different or SIMILAR the new test is to the old one. He has a graduate student organize a review night before the tests and before the final he puts one on. If you paid attention in class you were given almost 1/2 the questions on his tests. I went to his office and he was very helpful, he even knew my name when I walked in the door. (I tried to argue points on my test but it didn't help). Anyone who gets a bad grade in this class didn't try. I have no chemistry experience and walked with a B . so can you...

Dr. Simek is a curse and a blessing here is the good thing....he is AMAZING!!!!!!!! here is the bad....once you take him every other teacher is going to be like crap! hahahahha SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.....if you haven't got the point yet... HE IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took both the lab portion of OCHEM III from Dr. Simek, as well as the lecture. In lecture, he was great. Interesting, fair tests, and fair in his grading. However, in lab, he was condescending, he was arrogant, and he was NOT helpful. His lab was more difficult than the material demanded, solely because of his attitude. I would NOT recommend him for lab. FYI : The upper division chem students awarded Dr. Simek with the "Lab Nazi" award in spring of 2000, and Dr. Simek was happy with the title. That should tell you something about his lab attitude.

I don't know how Dr. Simek is in lecture classes but he seemed to be a cool professor for this NMR lab. He definitely knew his stuff and was good about letting us out early after the material had been presented. The lab final wasn't stressful either. He was very helpful.