Lance Lesack - Simon Fraser University

Professor: Lance Lesack

Department: TBD

College: Simon Fraser University

Rating # 1

Overview:

• Course: BISC414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

One of my favorite profs. This course wasnt an easy A, but the topics were interesting and all the readings and lectures were laid out clearly. Lance is really kind and receptive to questions, and the learning expectations were totally reasonable. 10/10 would recommend.

Rating # 2

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315316
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Really knowledgable and respectful. Caters the lectures to that specific class's speed/understanding. Fair grader and very interested in the topics he teaches. Great prof all around. But be ready to write a 10-15 page research paper as well as do a presentation on it 2-3 weeks before it's due! Great sample writing material for job apps though.

Rating # 3

Overview:

• Course: BISC414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 5.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Caring professor who is easily and happy to be accessible outside and after classes. Helps you with whatever you need help with, and is perfectly reasonable given any circumstances. Very passionate.

Rating # 4

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: Yes
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

One of the best profs I have had during my time at SFU. Friendly, knowledgeable, and always willing to help. The course was enjoyable and I would recommend this prof.

Rating # 5

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315
• Grade Received: A-
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

The lectures are good and enlightening. He nerds out every so often when he gets excited about a particular subject, but you can see the passion he has for the material. It really makes you respect his teaching ability. Labs were easy, watched videos and reflected on them and the readings. Exam is also easy if you study and pay attention in class.

Rating # 6

Overview:

• Course: BISC414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: Yes
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Is very nice as he tries to give you a helping hand when you ask for it. Will try his best to answer your questions without giving you answers so at times it may not be too much information of help. Posts lectures online but may need to attend class to write your own notes.

Rating # 7

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315316
• Grade Received: A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Mandatory

Comment:

Very passionate about his subjects and makes a lot of lame jokes. Lectures seem slow sometimes when he asks questions and waits for a response, but this does not take away from the material. Copy slides and take notes from class discussions and you should do well. Exam was easy if you studied. Start the 15 page term paper as early as possible!!!!!

Rating # 8

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Great that he wants us to learn to make scientific guesses, but more help with how to develop a good background to do so would be valuable. He's great to talk to, but lectures are a bit random. I guess he's tired of teaching the same old course? I'd rather be guided and pushed a bit more. Time is too short to spend it flailing.

Rating # 9

Overview:

• Course: BISC414
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lance is a very nice guy and seems very passionate about limnology but the class was very disorganized. no midterm, only presentation, term paper, and final and lab assignments. It was very hard to figure out what to study for or how to answer test questions. Same with the paper, very vague and broad topics given. DON'T TAKE THIS CLASS ALONE!

Rating # 10

Overview:

• Course: BISC204
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 5.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

midterms were hard!! atleast when u realize your grade on it.this class requires hell lot of reading ,so don't rely on his lectures notes only bcz ur gonna end up failing if u do so. His teaching style is strange, as he asks more than he tells. Also ,i had no interest what so ever prior to class .ur 1st midterm mark is going to reflect final mark.

Rating # 11

Overview:

• Course: BISC204
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.0
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: Yes
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Funny, nice, helpful professor but his lectures don't always cover everything you need for the exam, so reading is a must. His posted notes are VERY incomplete, and there are no lecture recordings so lecture is pretty much mandatory. Tutorials are interesting, but for the most part useless because they don't really review lecture material.

Rating # 12

Overview:

• Course: BIOECOL
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

If you are exited about the material and you participate in the discussions you will love his class, if your just there to get the notes and learn the material by yourself later you will do poorly. he is very much a "discussion" style teacher. the people who rate him negatively probably didn't put much effort into the actual lecture.

Rating # 13

Overview:

• Course: BISC416
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

No good notes. Lectures are scattered... he gives out 80% of the questions on the final, but there are no resources to figure out these questions, and nothing was taught very well in class, especially the topics that were new. Bad teacher.

Rating # 14

Overview:

• Course: GEOG316
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's fine. His notes suck and he's completly scatered but it doesnt matter too much. He gives you literally 80% of the questions that will appear on the final beforehand so its not a big deal. Still got an A. Don't buy any texts. I never did the readings adn still got an A+.

Rating # 15

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: No
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Lance really wants you to excited about what he's teaching. His lecture notes that you could get before lecture really helped since the textbooks were pretty useful. Marking was fair, and movies in every tutorials were relaxing

Rating # 16

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 1.0
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

Topics were not well related to lectures and seminars were mostly irrelevant. It's highly recommended that students select their term paper topics ASAP, as topics were inadequate. Diminishing class size reflects his teaching ability.

Rating # 17

Overview:

• Course: GEOG316
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 4.5
• Course Difficulty: 3.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

He's a good lecturer and he outlines everything and makes even complex topics not that hard to understand. Exams were fair.. he even told us some of the possible questions in advance.

Rating # 18

Overview:

• Course: 316315
• Grade Received: N/A
• Overall Rating: 2.5
• Course Difficulty: 2.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: N/A

Comment:

took both, and struggled in both to stay awake. Brilliant researcher, but his lectures are scattered, ranging from way to simple to lacking fundamentals. Just wait until he gets out the balloons! (oh, and I didn't say this but ask for an extension!)

Rating # 19

Overview:

• Course: GEOG315
• Grade Received: C+
• Overall Rating: 3.5
• Course Difficulty: 4.0

• For Credit: N/A
• Textbook Used: N/A
• Would Take Again: N/A
• Attendance: Not Mandatory

Comment:

Not bad. Very knowledgable and passionate but not very helpful individually. Pretty decent lecturer and his projects are challenging.