Professor Gainer is super kind and I enjoyed taking his class. It wasn't super easy, as the ochem classes are typically not, but he was easy to communicate with and receive help from. I recommend any class that he is teaching especially since they made me excited to learn more about ochem and the field.
109C is a TOUGH class. Taken summer of 2021, last online quarter due to the pandemic. The class was graded by weekly quizzes, 1 final exam (worth 2 quizzes, and same difficulty), HW, and class participation. If you spend the time to READ THE TEXTBOOK/watch lectures, you can do well. Gainer is fair (not easy), and available for many OH. Small Curve.
Took this class during the summer 2020. He made sure there was a final and did not curve the class. Only dropped one quiz even though syllabus said two (very misleading). Quizzes are hard and based on videos and what he says. Wish he was more understanding. Spring quarter 2020 he didn't give previous quarter a final AND curved. good luck
I had Gainer for 109C and for Chem6AL. I thought he did a really good job transitioning the courses to online learning on such short notice. Both classes require a lot of hard work, but he was always willing to answer questions. Lab was only miserable because I had an awful TA. I have had Bruice, Read, and Gainer and Gainer was my favorite.
He was able to adapt to online much more quickly than most professors amidst the pandemic. Watching the videos is really important and the weekly quizzes were kinda okay- open book doesn't make it easier!! Pay attention to what he emphasizes because it's usually quizzed on. He's purposely difficult to get you to learn a lot, especially 6AL and 6BL.
Gainer started off as just seeming like a tough grader on quizzes by marking down on any small issue even if it had nothing to do with the problem. But about 5 weeks in the lecture videos started getting to the point where he was just reading out of the textbook, not breaking things down, which really put a bummer on biochem for a lot of us :( GL
Took for 109A and 6AL too, but 109C I took with him online. Guarantee he'll be better next time on timing out quarter better, but don't sleep on online classes. You'll be in a paradox if you like online classes the whole quarter, but its Gainer at his best and honestly am glad I had him for OChem, as hard as it can be.
Gainer is an incredible teacher. He teaches a tough course but I learned more from him in one Ochem quarter than I did the entire year with other teachers. I think I lived in his office hours and it truly paid off, he for sure bumped my grade. He wants to see an effort and if he sees you are trying he will really help you.
Dr. Gainer was the best OChem professor I had. He gets a lot of hate because his tests are hard, but he, unlike the other teachers, wants you to actually UNDERSTAND the material, not just memorize it. If you take the time to understand ochem, there is very little you actually have to memorize. His lectures were organized and he is well spoken.
The first two midterms were extremely fair. You just had to put in the time and do all of the book problems. The final was also extremely fair, except for one twelve point mech that no one got. If you are going to take Gainer, make sure you have a lot of time. He just goes off the book, but attendance is required, which was very frustrating
I took 109C during Summer 2015 and it was okay. I like him better than Bruice but Aue is still the best ochem prof. in my opinion. I feel like this class was more chill during summer and he even offered extra credit. I did a little above average on both midterms. I thought the final was easy & straightforward but I didn't really study so I got a D.
idk what half the people on here are talking about. Gainer isnt the worst professor but hes not the best thats for sure. His lectures are so fast and he constantly messes up his own notes that CLAS tutors had to always correct him. Midterms not that bad but his final was completely absurd. His final is the reason I got a D in the class
Chem 109C was not my favorite class but I managed to get a B. The first two midterms were very easy, I got an A on the first one and a B on the second one. The final was very difficulty. I failed the final but got a B in the course. Be ready to do HW because those questions show up on the midterms sometimes and do book problems because they show up
Literally worst OChem teacher. 1010 would not recommend. His tests are so hard and random.
Dr. Gainer is by far the best ochem instructor at UCSB. His lectures are very clear and organized and he's always willing to help. I didn't have him for 109A and 109B, but you wish you did! He also makes video tutorials, which are helpful in reviewing the chemistry. Definitely one of the amazing professors at UCSB.
Gainer was a good lecturer, but the tricky thing was the fact that there was lab + lecture. TA makes or breaks your lab portion. Try to do well on lab reports, because they can help cushion your exam grades. Do all the textbook problems before exams, they helped me do really well on the exams compared to the average. Curve can help by section.
Gainer is a very approachable professor, very nice and willing to answer questions. However, his lectures are not the most organized and are quite disconnected from the textbook. Ask for a classmate's notes if you missed a class, do not waste time reading the textbook. The final is pretty tricky, but doable.
Professor Gainer is amazing! Everything he says clicks and it really stays with you till test days. This class is heavily dependent on TAs and how they grade. My TA was Ms. Bashir, and she was ridiculously impossible to work with and just a mean grader. Do not sign up for Friday 8AM with Bashir!!!!!!
This professor has ridiculous standards. No direction is given for the first lab report. You will not get feedback for your report until you've submitted two more, setting up students for failure. The quizzes were tough, asking students to memorize up to three complicated mechanisms and to be able to recreate any one of them on paper from memory.
Dr. Gainer is a super nice guy who has pretty useful lectures and is available for help if you need it. This class was not easy, but I think the difficulty of all exams was very reasonable. I HIGHLY recommend the book problems for practice! Labs themselves are TA dependent, but most of the TAs want you to succeed. I really enjoyed this class.
Good luck. Exams are hard. If you have the time, talk to a TA as much as possible.
Gainer has archaic standards, requiring students to write in pen and specifically use a composition style notebook. He disallows graphing calculators on his tests forcing many students to scramble to get a scientific calculator. The final was terribly written having a significant portion of its questions on content from one lecture.
Taking this class made me realize my life's just a misery.
It was not the hardest class in ucsb but the worst. I didn't realize there was a practical test until the last experiment. Prof Gainer didn't mentioned it in syllabus. Also, the quizzes were unfair and were made by TAs. Always one harder and one easier version. Don't take it unless you are required. Good luck.
