BioE professor David Rempel has been teaching at Berkeley since 1997. He is also a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco in the Division of Occupational Medicine. A certified professional ergonomist, Dr. Rempel has conducted studies of carpal tunnel syndrome among postal workers, VDT operators, grocery workers and plumbers. He is currently studying musculoskeletal disorders associated with keyboard and computer mouse usage. He was an ergonomics consultant to Cal/OSHA from 1988 to 1990.

Professor Minute: Interview with BioE professor David Rempel

What do you do to forget about engineering and/or work ?

But why would I want to forget about engineering? Engineering is a discipline that enables us to appreciate the physical world. Its methods provide rules and tools that let us understand the real world and help us design things that can help improve life. As for diversions, well, I like to sail and ski, and I coach my daughter’s soccer team.

What is your personal recipe for success?

My secret is to work with students, staff and faculty who are smarter than I am, and there are plenty of those at UC Berkeley and UC San Francisco. That’s part of it. The other is that I love the work that
I do, so I don’t mind working long hours.

What can a student do to get through your hardest class?

Simple. Come to all the classes, pay attention, and do all the reading and homework. Furthermore, it helps if they are imbued with a measure of curiosity, ask questions and avail themselves of my office hours to satisfy that curiosity. Even better yet is if they drop off a Granny Smith apple.

Why did you become a professor?

One of my favorite professors once told me, “You should choose a job that you like to do more than eating, sleeping, or. . .” Well I did. Furthermore, I relish the independence, the impact of my work, the variety, and the young and open minds. Plus, we have pizza in my lab every Wednesday.

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