For some people, when the phrase “change the world” is heard, the image of a masked superhero in tights and a flapping cape pops into their mind. But everyday people like parents and teachers can change the world too—people such as Skyline College’s very own Professor Christine Case.
In a time when only boys were allowed to do science, Case took on the challenge anyway and persevered. Case grew to love biology through school and observation of the world around her. Curiosity about the way things worked is what fueled her interest in the subject.
“I really loved science,” Case says. “I loved the discovery, but at some point I wanted to influence the world and make it a better place.”
The first environmental movement during the 1970s was one way Case got involved. At that time, there were no environmental protection laws for the San Francisco Bay, and sewage poured into the bay water. Case explained how her involvement in the movement showed her that teaching was the way to influence the future.
Case’s first job was at the USDA-Western Regional Research Lab, where she was able to witness a few new discoveries. One of those discoveries was a new food preservative from a plant. She was also present during the discovery of lactobacillus sanfranciscensis, which is the lactic acid bacterium that gives San Francisco sourdough bread its unique taste.
“Working in a lab is fun, and it’s a nice little puzzle, but it’s a very private puzzle,” Case says. “I saw teaching as a way to influence the future not just working in a lab.”
Throughout the interview with Case, I couldn’t help but feel as though her resume was continuously expanding before. While she’s been teaching at Skyline, she has made numerous accomplishments. One is founding Expanding Your Horizons, which is an annual conference that encourages girls to gain an interest in stem cell research, a field of study that was once unavailable to females.
Each year her students construct their own experiments and then present their discoveries during national scientific meetings. One of her students’ most exciting finds was of new anti-microbial agents in plants that have historically been used by ancient American Indians and Chinese. Essentially, a new antibiotic was discovered.
Professor Case has a long list of achievements that have no doubt affected others. Her efforts are visible and heard by her students.
“The Phi Theta Kappa Students (another group she is involved in) have a joke that I want to single-handedly solve world hunger,” Case says, grinning.
Case may not be able to single-handedly bring peace to the world or solve world hunger, but she believes that change will come with more awareness and group action. Case is certainly an example of walking the talk. “Live like there’s no tomorrow,” she says. “Do the absolute best every day.”
