EPIB301 | PlanetTerp

Information	Review
Edmond Shenassa EPIB301 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 05/13/2025	I enrolled in this course genuinely excited to deepen my interest in epidemiology and explore the field through a public health lens. Unfortunately, my experience fell significantly short of expectations. The lectures were often confusing, disorganized, and lacked clear preparation. The professor’s demeanor toward students was frequently dismissive and unapproachable, which created an unwelcoming learning environment. Despite attending every lecture and making consistent efforts to engage with the material, I often left class more confused than when I arrived. One of the most frustrating aspects of the course was the lack of alignment between lectures, assigned readings, and exam content. No study materials or guidance were provided ahead of assessments, yet the exams consistently tested obscure or unrelated content. As a result, exam averages hovered around 60%, with no curve offered — an unusually low outcome for an introductory course, especially when numerous students raised concerns about the fairness and formatting of the exams, which frequently contained errors. In addition to my own concerns, I spoke with several graduate students mentored by the professor, and unfortunately, their feedback was similarly disheartening. Discussions within my section echoed a shared sense of frustration, with every student expressing that the exams failed to reflect what was taught in class. UMD has a strong reputation for its epidemiology program, which makes this experience even more disappointing. Rather than fostering excitement about the field, this course diminished not only my interest but also my confidence — and that of many of my peers.
Edmond Shenassa EPIB301 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 05/13/2025	I would give him 0 stars if I could. He is the worst professor I've ever had. He is rude, yells at students for asking questions, and all of the content he teaches in lecture/from the textbook are absolutely useless and inapplicable to the exams. Each lecture he spends the entire time on one topic, just for that topic to show up as one question on the exam. The exams are unfair and do not reflect in the slightest what he claims will be on it. The last exam he gave 3 points back after the class average was a 60 since all of the questions are meant to trick you. I highly recommend to avoid choosing him as a professor for Introduction to Epidemiology.
Edmond Shenassa EPIB301 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 05/13/2025	Genuinely might be the worst professor I've ever had. I've been here for about 2 years and haven't had a professor this bad. Students who took this course in previous semesters were given test resources, had exam averages in the 80s, and were allowed cheat sheets on exams. His exams are so confusing, the averages are in the 60s to 70s, and theres hardly any curve. My grades in chem and physics are literally higher than this class.... He belittles anyone in class who tries to answer his stupid questions, and if you're using your phone for even a second, he calls you out. Lectures are useless because he rambles on for 40 minutes and his students are left even more confused. Please avoid this guy and save your GPA and mental health. I've never written a planet terp review but I had to for this guy, so thats saying something.
Edmond Shenassa EPIB301 Expecting a C Anonymous 05/07/2025	If I could give 0 or negative stars I would. I had GENUINE anxiety and fear before entering class. Sometimes I would skip just because I didn’t want to be in his class. He would YELLL ALLL THE TIME. He once kicked a student out for not paying attention. He would constantly accuse students of being on their laptop, iPad, phone and texting or emailing instead of paying attention. And he would YELL. “You in the blue shirt, what did I just say?!” “You in the yellow shirt, stop texting your friends” Class was very confusing and poorly organized. He provided no formula sheet. I spoke to people who read the textbook and attended lectures, and he would often put material on the exam that was not mentioned in class or the textbook. Even the TAs agreed his exams were poorly written and confusing. I honestly never knew what I was supposed to know or be learning. He could NOT teach. Our class average for an exam was a 55%, with the highest being a 70%. He only added 3 points to “help”. His slides are poorly formatted and made NO SENSE. The lectured didn’t even feel relevant or related to the exams, or the material. Other classes say he gave out extra credit, for my class he did not. And as someone who constantly preached “don’t memorize the material”, thats how he ran the class because he was the only teacher who refused to give us a formula sheet. Plus he never provided practice questions/exams, or any study material for the midterms so you didn’t even know what to study.
Jessica Keralis EPIB301 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/24/2024	Dr. Keralis is an amazing professor, she makes lectures worth attending and really listens to her students when it comes to complains or concerns regarding any assignment or projects. She also replies fast when it comes to emails and is willing to sit with you outside of class to clarify topics. Furthermore, the exam reviews are extremely accurate, and exams are very similar to what she teaches. We had 3 exams, one being the final, two major projects, and around 8 hw's. Also, she gave us extra credit worth 5% of our grade! So, I absolutely recommend her for EPIB301/any class she teaches, it will easily be one of your favorite class of the semester.
Jessica Keralis EPIB301 Expecting an A- Anonymous 12/10/2024	Dr. Keralis is very friendly, and her lectures were organized. She cares about students beyond the classroom, evident in her quick email replies, and sending out opportunities in public health. Her lectures had nice flow, and all of the tests were enjoyable since they were exactly like the homework if not easier. Would definitely recommend!
Jessica Keralis EPIB301 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/04/2024	Dr. Keralis is super kind, willing to clarify difficult topics, and overall cares about the well being of her students (academically and outside of academia). I thoroughly enjoyed her lectures, where she placed her on spin using her expertise in the field. I would 100% recommend this professor over and over again.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/13/2024	Excellent professor. You will do well as long as you put effort in.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Anonymous 01/03/2024	She just gives solid 3 star vibes. You do not need to spend that much time on this class because the content is pretty easy. Negatives are she reads off the slides and she can be passive aggressive. She is pretty fair in grading and exams.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting a B Anonymous 12/23/2023	I loved having her as a professor. The old reviews are very confusing honestly I really don't see her doing that especially because this semester she's been nothing but reassuring (to everyone) and has been constantly uplifting her students all throughout the semester with really encouraging announcements.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A+ Anonymous 12/12/2023	First things first, I did not enjoy this class. Dr. Dyer was so disorganized, and it was extremely frustrating. Her powerpoints were very long (50+ slides each), and were hard to follow and often repeated information. The only slides that really helped me learn were the discussion slides. I am not sure if she made these, but judging based off the lecture slides, she probably did not. Additionally, she overcomplicated nearly every topic, giving unnecessary, long winded explanations. She also would read directly off the slides in lecture, so I didn’t really find any benefit in attending. Exams were fine, but contained some very specific questions on things only briefly mentioned. There were only about 30 questions on each, so it was easy to lose points. Additionally, she would send out emails that were mostly meant to be inspirational and relatable, but many often came across as unprofessional and passive aggressive, such as the long winded emails about why she can’t offer extensions. It seemed like she was trying very hard to be the "cool" professor, but the lack of professionalism and care in her emails made me respect her less. Overall, Dr. Dyer was a nice person, but very all over the place, and did not provide a good experience for me in this class.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A- Anonymous 12/11/2023	Dr. Dyer is such a kind and caring professor. I loved her energy in class and she makes going to lectures enjoyable. She sends out announcements during the semester which always made me put on a smile. The coursework is not heavy for this class and as long as you pay attention you will do fine. Her lecture slides can be a bit disorganized, but the practice tests and discussion slides are helpful for preparation. She gives out a formula sheet for each test which makes it a bit easier.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/16/2023	Professor Dyer is one of the most energetic fun professors Ive had in public health. In her emails she like to remind students that they are working hard and are very kind. The class itself is very doable and does not require you to go to lectures or discussion. The discussion slides are very helpful, as an overview for the units you are learning.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A- Anonymous 05/11/2023	I loved Dr. Dyer. She's a super considerate professor and I can tell she's really passionate about the subject she's teaching. I think her exams are extremely fair, and you get a formula sheet for the exams so honestly, they're fairly low stress. There's a homework assignment about once a week-ish, a couple projects, and there's a weekly discussion participation as far as points go, but it evens itself out pretty well. I really enjoyed her class overall though!! She really makes an effort to consider our feelings and treats us well.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Anonymous 05/01/2023	I really don't think she's as bad as people say she is. I feel like all of the work was doable, even easy in some cases, and most people don't even go to lecture. I do recommend going to discussion at least, if you don't go to lecture, because I feel like those slides are way more condensed and make a lot more sense. She's pretty funny and always sends us emails with encouragement.
Jamie Trevitt EPIB301 Expecting a B+ Anonymous 01/26/2023	The most Horrible heartless professor, I have ever seen. People like her should be banned from teaching!! I would not recommend anyone to take her.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A Anonymous 01/25/2023	Dr. Dyer is funny and fairly nice, but... chaotic. She has a tendency to rush through lectures and then end 10 minutes early, meaning the rushing was pointless. One time she said she was going to try slowing down and then I think wound up going faster? Anyway, she has long slides with a lot of content on them, but doesn't really say anything that adds to the slides, so you could probably just skip lectures, read those, and be fine. The trick is actually finding the slides you need, cause she's reusing old ones from during covid and they don't always line up with the content covered that week. Ignore the reviews that say open note exams- they're closed note, in person, on ELMS with lockdown browser.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Anonymous 12/18/2022	she seems like a good person but her lectures seem almost pointless to go to. All she does is read off her slides and her lectures seem so unprepared. She has also changed her exams as they are no longer open note. Honestly, not one of my favorite professors at all.
Jamie Trevitt EPIB301 Expecting an A Anonymous 12/05/2022	I took Prof Trevitt over the summer and she was wonderful! The lecture content was not too bad and exams were based on content for the lecture! There were not a lot of assignments and it was easy to follow through. Highly recommend Trevitt!
Jamie Trevitt EPIB301 Anonymous 08/03/2022	I am currently taking her EPIB 315 class, and it has been the most frustrating class ever because of her being disorganized and late to upload the lectures or assignments. Also, the syllabus was wrong. The assignments are not based on the lecture. If you have another professor option, take them. I wish someone would have told me that before taking her class.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A Anonymous 05/17/2022	She is so kind. All her tests were open note and online (including the final), and as long as you reviewed the slides you should be good. Her announcement brightened my day, and honestly love her.
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A Anonymous 01/18/2022	Prof Trevitt was a great prof! The class was super easy to understand! I took this class over winter break! The exams were very easy!
Typhanye Dyer EPIB301 Expecting an A- Anonymous 11/24/2021	Easy to get an A without actually attending lecture or discussion. Most people take the exams based off common sense and score okay. I was able to score fine without going to lecture, reviewing lecture slides, or attending discussion. All I did was read the relevant textbook chapters before the exam. The assignments were also graded moderately (not too harsh, not too lenient). That being said, if lecture attendance does begin to drop, she will administer "pop quizzes" during lecture. My recommendation is to show up and work on something else just in case. For those who pay attention, she does tend to speak fast and she knows it so be ready but honestly a lot of her slide content seems to be repetitive (not in a good way). Also make sure you skim through her daily announcements about her personal life. They are often lengthy but sometimes (rarely) have relevant information about an assignment or lecture.
Bonnie Richter EPIB301 Anonymous 04/30/2021	DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! Only thing you are graded on is quizzes and exams which are poorly timed. The course load is too high. You will be teaching yourself for the most part.
Lauren Kauffman EPIB301 Anonymous 02/22/2021	She is terrible, makes interesting content boring. I have her as a TA for EPIB301, which should be a useful and fun class, but she reads off the slides the entire time in a monotone voice, doesn't offer any of her own experience/validity at all and makes paying attention so hard. Don't get me wrong, she knows her stuff, but couldn't present it in a worse way.

Edmond Shenassa
EPIB301

Expecting a B+
Anonymous
05/13/2025

I enrolled in this course genuinely excited to deepen my interest in epidemiology and explore the field through a public health lens. Unfortunately, my experience fell significantly short of expectations. The lectures were often confusing, disorganized, and lacked clear preparation. The professor’s demeanor toward students was frequently dismissive and unapproachable, which created an unwelcoming learning environment. Despite attending every lecture and making consistent efforts to engage with the material, I often left class more confused than when I arrived. One of the most frustrating aspects of the course was the lack of alignment between lectures, assigned readings, and exam content. No study materials or guidance were provided ahead of assessments, yet the exams consistently tested obscure or unrelated content. As a result, exam averages hovered around 60%, with no curve offered — an unusually low outcome for an introductory course, especially when numerous students raised concerns about the fairness and formatting of the exams, which frequently contained errors. In addition to my own concerns, I spoke with several graduate students mentored by the professor, and unfortunately, their feedback was similarly disheartening. Discussions within my section echoed a shared sense of frustration, with every student expressing that the exams failed to reflect what was taught in class. UMD has a strong reputation for its epidemiology program, which makes this experience even more disappointing. Rather than fostering excitement about the field, this course diminished not only my interest but also my confidence — and that of many of my peers.

Edmond Shenassa
EPIB301

Expecting a B+
Anonymous
05/13/2025

I would give him 0 stars if I could. He is the worst professor I've ever had. He is rude, yells at students for asking questions, and all of the content he teaches in lecture/from the textbook are absolutely useless and inapplicable to the exams. Each lecture he spends the entire time on one topic, just for that topic to show up as one question on the exam. The exams are unfair and do not reflect in the slightest what he claims will be on it. The last exam he gave 3 points back after the class average was a 60 since all of the questions are meant to trick you. I highly recommend to avoid choosing him as a professor for Introduction to Epidemiology.

Edmond Shenassa
EPIB301

Expecting a B+
Anonymous
05/13/2025

Genuinely might be the worst professor I've ever had. I've been here for about 2 years and haven't had a professor this bad. Students who took this course in previous semesters were given test resources, had exam averages in the 80s, and were allowed cheat sheets on exams. His exams are so confusing, the averages are in the 60s to 70s, and theres hardly any curve. My grades in chem and physics are literally higher than this class.... He belittles anyone in class who tries to answer his stupid questions, and if you're using your phone for even a second, he calls you out. Lectures are useless because he rambles on for 40 minutes and his students are left even more confused. Please avoid this guy and save your GPA and mental health. I've never written a planet terp review but I had to for this guy, so thats saying something.

Edmond Shenassa
EPIB301

Expecting a C
Anonymous
05/07/2025

If I could give 0 or negative stars I would. I had GENUINE anxiety and fear before entering class. Sometimes I would skip just because I didn’t want to be in his class. He would YELLL ALLL THE TIME. He once kicked a student out for not paying attention. He would constantly accuse students of being on their laptop, iPad, phone and texting or emailing instead of paying attention. And he would YELL. “You in the blue shirt, what did I just say?!” “You in the yellow shirt, stop texting your friends” Class was very confusing and poorly organized. He provided no formula sheet. I spoke to people who read the textbook and attended lectures, and he would often put material on the exam that was not mentioned in class or the textbook. Even the TAs agreed his exams were poorly written and confusing. I honestly never knew what I was supposed to know or be learning. He could NOT teach. Our class average for an exam was a 55%, with the highest being a 70%. He only added 3 points to “help”. His slides are poorly formatted and made NO SENSE. The lectured didn’t even feel relevant or related to the exams, or the material. Other classes say he gave out extra credit, for my class he did not. And as someone who constantly preached “don’t memorize the material”, thats how he ran the class because he was the only teacher who refused to give us a formula sheet. Plus he never provided practice questions/exams, or any study material for the midterms so you didn’t even know what to study.

Jessica Keralis
EPIB301

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/24/2024

Dr. Keralis is an amazing professor, she makes lectures worth attending and really listens to her students when it comes to complains or concerns regarding any assignment or projects. She also replies fast when it comes to emails and is willing to sit with you outside of class to clarify topics. Furthermore, the exam reviews are extremely accurate, and exams are very similar to what she teaches. We had 3 exams, one being the final, two major projects, and around 8 hw's. Also, she gave us extra credit worth 5% of our grade! So, I absolutely recommend her for EPIB301/any class she teaches, it will easily be one of your favorite class of the semester.

Jessica Keralis
EPIB301

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
12/10/2024

Dr. Keralis is very friendly, and her lectures were organized. She cares about students beyond the classroom, evident in her quick email replies, and sending out opportunities in public health. Her lectures had nice flow, and all of the tests were enjoyable since they were exactly like the homework if not easier. Would definitely recommend!

Jessica Keralis
EPIB301

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/04/2024

Dr. Keralis is super kind, willing to clarify difficult topics, and overall cares about the well being of her students (academically and outside of academia). I thoroughly enjoyed her lectures, where she placed her on spin using her expertise in the field. I would 100% recommend this professor over and over again.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
05/13/2024

Excellent professor. You will do well as long as you put effort in.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Anonymous
01/03/2024

She just gives solid 3 star vibes. You do not need to spend that much time on this class because the content is pretty easy. Negatives are she reads off the slides and she can be passive aggressive. She is pretty fair in grading and exams.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting a B
Anonymous
12/23/2023

I loved having her as a professor. The old reviews are very confusing honestly I really don't see her doing that especially because this semester she's been nothing but reassuring (to everyone) and has been constantly uplifting her students all throughout the semester with really encouraging announcements.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A+
Anonymous
12/12/2023

First things first, I did not enjoy this class. Dr. Dyer was so disorganized, and it was extremely frustrating. Her powerpoints were very long (50+ slides each), and were hard to follow and often repeated information. The only slides that really helped me learn were the discussion slides. I am not sure if she made these, but judging based off the lecture slides, she probably did not. Additionally, she overcomplicated nearly every topic, giving unnecessary, long winded explanations. She also would read directly off the slides in lecture, so I didn’t really find any benefit in attending. Exams were fine, but contained some very specific questions on things only briefly mentioned. There were only about 30 questions on each, so it was easy to lose points. Additionally, she would send out emails that were mostly meant to be inspirational and relatable, but many often came across as unprofessional and passive aggressive, such as the long winded emails about why she can’t offer extensions. It seemed like she was trying very hard to be the "cool" professor, but the lack of professionalism and care in her emails made me respect her less. Overall, Dr. Dyer was a nice person, but very all over the place, and did not provide a good experience for me in this class.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
12/11/2023

Dr. Dyer is such a kind and caring professor. I loved her energy in class and she makes going to lectures enjoyable. She sends out announcements during the semester which always made me put on a smile. The coursework is not heavy for this class and as long as you pay attention you will do fine. Her lecture slides can be a bit disorganized, but the practice tests and discussion slides are helpful for preparation. She gives out a formula sheet for each test which makes it a bit easier.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/16/2023

Professor Dyer is one of the most energetic fun professors Ive had in public health. In her emails she like to remind students that they are working hard and are very kind. The class itself is very doable and does not require you to go to lectures or discussion. The discussion slides are very helpful, as an overview for the units you are learning.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
05/11/2023

I loved Dr. Dyer. She's a super considerate professor and I can tell she's really passionate about the subject she's teaching. I think her exams are extremely fair, and you get a formula sheet for the exams so honestly, they're fairly low stress. There's a homework assignment about once a week-ish, a couple projects, and there's a weekly discussion participation as far as points go, but it evens itself out pretty well. I really enjoyed her class overall though!! She really makes an effort to consider our feelings and treats us well.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Anonymous
05/01/2023

I really don't think she's as bad as people say she is. I feel like all of the work was doable, even easy in some cases, and most people don't even go to lecture. I do recommend going to discussion at least, if you don't go to lecture, because I feel like those slides are way more condensed and make a lot more sense. She's pretty funny and always sends us emails with encouragement.

Jamie Trevitt
EPIB301

Expecting a B+
Anonymous
01/26/2023

The most Horrible heartless professor, I have ever seen. People like her should be banned from teaching!! I would not recommend anyone to take her.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A
Anonymous
01/25/2023

Dr. Dyer is funny and fairly nice, but... chaotic. She has a tendency to rush through lectures and then end 10 minutes early, meaning the rushing was pointless. One time she said she was going to try slowing down and then I think wound up going faster? Anyway, she has long slides with a lot of content on them, but doesn't really say anything that adds to the slides, so you could probably just skip lectures, read those, and be fine. The trick is actually finding the slides you need, cause she's reusing old ones from during covid and they don't always line up with the content covered that week. Ignore the reviews that say open note exams- they're closed note, in person, on ELMS with lockdown browser.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Anonymous
12/18/2022

she seems like a good person but her lectures seem almost pointless to go to. All she does is read off her slides and her lectures seem so unprepared. She has also changed her exams as they are no longer open note. Honestly, not one of my favorite professors at all.

Jamie Trevitt
EPIB301

Expecting an A
Anonymous
12/05/2022

I took Prof Trevitt over the summer and she was wonderful! The lecture content was not too bad and exams were based on content for the lecture! There were not a lot of assignments and it was easy to follow through. Highly recommend Trevitt!

Jamie Trevitt
EPIB301

Anonymous
08/03/2022

I am currently taking her EPIB 315 class, and it has been the most frustrating class ever because of her being disorganized and late to upload the lectures or assignments. Also, the syllabus was wrong. The assignments are not based on the lecture. If you have another professor option, take them. I wish someone would have told me that before taking her class.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A
Anonymous
05/17/2022

She is so kind. All her tests were open note and online (including the final), and as long as you reviewed the slides you should be good. Her announcement brightened my day, and honestly love her.

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A
Anonymous
01/18/2022

Prof Trevitt was a great prof! The class was super easy to understand! I took this class over winter break! The exams were very easy!

Typhanye Dyer
EPIB301

Expecting an A-
Anonymous
11/24/2021

Easy to get an A without actually attending lecture or discussion. Most people take the exams based off common sense and score okay. I was able to score fine without going to lecture, reviewing lecture slides, or attending discussion. All I did was read the relevant textbook chapters before the exam. The assignments were also graded moderately (not too harsh, not too lenient). That being said, if lecture attendance does begin to drop, she will administer "pop quizzes" during lecture. My recommendation is to show up and work on something else just in case. For those who pay attention, she does tend to speak fast and she knows it so be ready but honestly a lot of her slide content seems to be repetitive (not in a good way). Also make sure you skim through her daily announcements about her personal life. They are often lengthy but sometimes (rarely) have relevant information about an assignment or lecture.

Bonnie Richter
EPIB301

Anonymous
04/30/2021

DO NOT TAKE THIS PROFESSOR! Only thing you are graded on is quizzes and exams which are poorly timed. The course load is too high. You will be teaching yourself for the most part.

Lauren Kauffman
EPIB301

Anonymous
02/22/2021

She is terrible, makes interesting content boring. I have her as a TA for EPIB301, which should be a useful and fun class, but she reads off the slides the entire time in a monotone voice, doesn't offer any of her own experience/validity at all and makes paying attention so hard. Don't get me wrong, she knows her stuff, but couldn't present it in a worse way.

Reviews for EPIB301