(Phoebe M.)

Dr. Fine in her office, holding a brand-new case of Play-Doh for her students.

When I first entered Upper School Science Teacher Dr. Debrah Fine’s office for our interview, she was seated at a table with students working through notoriously challenging chemistry homework. The students were laughing and joking with her, in what looked like comfortable ease. 

If you’ve happened to cross paths with Dr. Fine, you’ve probably had a similar experience. Whether it was her school spirit at Greek and Roman initiation, as she skipped through the “Roman” arches, jumping and waving at the crowd, or when helping an advisee work through the trenches of add-drop forms, it is obvious that Dr. Fine’s enthusiasm and kindness stretch far beyond the classroom. 

Native to California, Dr. Fine grew up in Los Angeles and studied ballet at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. Although she was interested in biology, a high school teacher discouraged her from the sciences. After high school, Dr. Fine attended UCLA initially to study sports medicine, wanting to stay close to ballet, but her love for science was reignited by a few encouraging professors at UCLA. She went on to earn her B.S. in biology and credits her teachers with “opening a door that might otherwise be closed.” She eventually went on to earn her Ph.D. in virology at Harvard University, and she worked at UC Berkeley between her time at UCLA and Harvard. Now teaching 9th grade biology and 10th grade chemistry,  Dr. Fine tries to get her students to “feel like they are scientists and that they can do it.”

When I asked Dr. Fine about her contrasting experiences in ballet and biology, she revealed that through her time working with scientists, students, and dancers, she discovered many connections between the arts and the sciences. Both disciplines require attention to detail and dedication, as well as practice and repetition. “You’re gonna do pliés every time; it doesn’t really change that much. And every single time you’re saying, ‘Can I do this a little bit better?’” 

Outside of the classroom, Dr. Fine enjoys baking, walking the Arroyo, and appreciating a good farmers’ market. “I got to volunteer at the Studio City farmers market. We saved 1400 pounds of produce from going to waste,” she said. 

When she’s not volunteering, she is cooking or feeding her sourdough starter, which, if you ever need any, she is happy to bring to school. “I’m a little bit more low-brow, real big Love Island fan. I really like some mindless television here and there,” she admits.

Dr. Fine’s relatability is a crucial part of her teaching, and she works hard to support her students inside and outside of the classroom and cheers them on in all their pursuits. “One of my mantras is that I think it’s really important for me to see students in all their different arenas.” She compared her role as a teacher to that of a cheerleader, “I do see myself like a cheerleader, I’m there to cheer them on when things go well, and I’m there to help them when things don’t go well. I used to think my job was science, and now I realize [that] actually my job is people.”