At a glance
Name: Associate Prof Allan Blackman
Age: 47
Years in role: Lecturer since 1991
Study: BSc (Hons), PhD, both from Otago (1982-89)
Each year, Prof Blackman (47) faces a double challenge - starting with the seemingly daunting task of regularly lecturing to classes of 550 students, which is the maximum capacity of the main St David lecture theatre, the university's biggest lecturing venue.
His other potential problem is teaching chemistry. This is a subject about which he feels passionate, but which is regarded by many others - probably unfairly - as being dull and unpopular.
In an interview, he quickly rises to the challenge, emphasising that chemistry is much more important and interesting than some people would have us believe.
"Everything in a supermarket, everything that you eat, that's all got to go through quality control. That involves analysis of the foodstuffs, using techniques common to chemistry," he points out.
Chemistry, including ocean chemistry, is also deeply involved in the international scientific effort to better understand and counter global climate change.
And the Centre for Chemical and Physical Oceanography, a joint collaboration with Niwa and based in the Otago chemistry department, won the Prime Minister's $500,000 top science award, for related work last year.
Born in Dunedin, Prof Blackman attended Otago Boys' High School, before pursuing study at Otago University, followed by overseas postdoctoral work.
With chemistry head Prof Lyall Hanton, Prof Blackman teaches a big first-year chemistry paper, "The chemical basis of biology and human health", and several days a week lectures to one group of 550 students, and another group of about 250.
To help things along, he plays some music at the start of each class, hands out a chocolate fish to anyone who can identify the music, and also displays a few cartoons, by way of light relief, part-way through the talk.
"It becomes more of a performance than just a straightforward lecture."
He brings plenty of passion to his task, but also clearly knows his stuff. He is, for example, lead author of Chemistry, the introductory chemistry text book used by the class.
He has won two awards for teaching excellence, one from the Otago University Students' Association, and the other from the university.
But he carries his achievements lightly and remains characteristically humble when acknowledging the sizeable challenge involved in teaching huge first-year classes.
"Anyone who says they don't get nervous in front of an audience like that is probably telling a fib," , Prof Blackman says.
He doesn't take himself too seriously and jokes that "everyone makes a fool of themselves" - sometimes with only a few people about, but sometimes, in front of a large group.
"It's just a matter of scale," he adds with a smile.
He clearly loves his job and enjoys seeing students start to understand certain scientific concepts more clearly.
And he likes interacting with students, often being approached around campus by current or former students.
"It's always nice. They say 'Hi' and 'Thank you' and that sort of stuff."
Prof Blackman writes the column, Chemistry Matters, for the Otago Daily Times.