At NISER, I (Rittik Deb) teach Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Biology II: Cellular & Genetic Basis of Life.

My teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that education is not merely the transfer of information—it is a transformative process that helps students become critical thinkers, curious explorers, and engaged contributors to science and society. Over the two and a half years, I have strived to create a classroom that is vibrant, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating—a place where ecology and evolutionary biology are not just learned but experienced.

One of my guiding principles is to break the boundary between research and teaching. With over a decade of experience in the field and laboratory-based ecological and evolutionary research, I draw heavily from real-life observations and natural history phenomena to make biological concepts more tangible. Students often engage in hands-on field exercises, including techniques to measure species richness, abundance, and dispersion. These practical sessions allow them to connect abstract ecological theories to real-world observations.

To further deepen their understanding, I assign small behavioural and field experiments as assignments during the coursework. Students design, execute, and analyse their own studies, gaining an appreciation for how scientific knowledge is built through trial and iteration. Complementing these empirical efforts, I incorporate basic R-based simulations into the classroom to teach key ecological and evolutionary principles. These exercises demystify complex processes like genetic drift, natural selection, and population dynamics by allowing students to visualise outcomes and manipulate variables. Even students without a background in biology (which is quite common in my courses) are able to appreciate the mechanics of these models, which I consider a great success. 

A key aspect of my pedagogy is helping students understand that higher education is not about scoring marks, but about internalising ideas and making meaningful contributions— not just in labs, but also in the broader sphere of conservation and ecological thinking. I try to instil in my students that science is not a race, and quick results are no substitute for methodical, rigorous investigation. This mindset is something I also emphasise in my lab, where I mentor interns and junior researchers with the same principles: precision over speed, curiosity over outcome.

My examinations reflect this philosophy. I deliberately design conceptual questions, steering clear of rote memorisation, because I believe that the ability to think is far more valuable than reciting facts. And as any teacher knows, students don't just ask questions—they ask the most profound ones. Their inquiries regularly push me to revisit foundational principles and view them from novel angles. This back-and-forth doesn't just benefit them—it sharpens me as a scholar and fuels my own research thinking.

Finally, I make it a point to speak candidly about the emotional landscape of academia. I encourage discussions around failure as a learning process and advocate for mental wellbeing as an essential part of scientific life. I want my students to know that uncertainty, setbacks, and frustration are not signs of inadequacy—they are signs of engagement. Creating a space where students feel intellectually and emotionally safe is just as important as the knowledge we cover.

Whether we are running simulations in the classroom, conducting fieldwork or working late in the lab, my commitment is to guide students toward becoming confident, thoughtful, and resilient scientists—capable not only of understanding the natural world, but of preserving and changing it for the better future.