Teaching

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I have taught CHEM 108 (Problem Solving in Chemistry), CHEM 110 (General Chemistry 1), CHEM 111 (General Chemistry I Laboratory), CHEM 112 (General Chemistry II), CHEM 113 (General Chemistry II Laboratory), CHEM 210 (Organic Chemistry I), CHEM 212 (Organic Chemistry II) CHEM 213 (Organic Chemistry Laboratory), CHEM 294 (Special Problems and Research), CHEM 494 (Chemical Research), and CHEM 496 (Independent Studies).  I have also had students take CHEM 110, 112, 210, 212, and 213 as Honors option courses.

cuso4.jpgInteresting copper sulfate crystals grown by a student in Chem 113. First a crust formed on top, then crystals grew up from the bottom of the flask and down from the crust.

I returned from industry to academia because I wanted to teach and I take great joy in interacting with the students and passing on what I have learned over the years.  I try to bring my past experiences to the table and give the students a sense of chemistry as something more than an abstract thing they are forced to take.

I believe in emphasizing understanding over memorization.  I don’t see the point in memorizing facts whose underpinnings are not understood.  Understanding also obviates the need for a lot of rote memorization, since physical and chemical properties become predictable when understood. Thus, in General Chemistry I take the “Atoms First” approach, and in Organic Chemistry I teach from a mechanistic perspective.

I am constantly looking for ways to make lecture classes a better learning experience for students. I have been looking to the latest technologies and the pedagogical approaches of other chemists.  I use Doceri for iPad (see http://tlt.its.psu.edu/2013/03/11/doceri-app-frees-faculty-from-podium-for-greater-class-interaction/ and our two publications) and also use a lot of animations, videos, and models.  When we view chemistry on paper, it is easy to view it as static and two-dimensional, but in reality it is dynamic and three-dimensional, and I think animations, etc. help the students grasp that.  I also try to incorporate active learning where possible.  When COVID made all classes remote, I was able to easily adapt because I was already beaming some of my lecture courses to other campuses, so my methods were already adapted to remote learning.   COVID also affected lab classes of course, but we found ways to adapt (see our two papers).

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I use an online homework system. The wrong type of system can create more problems for students than it solves, but I think I have found good systems that gives students immediate feedback and helps them understand how to do the problem.

I view research as part of my teaching mission and approach it in that manner. In CHEM 213, I have integrated a research project into the course itself, so that each student gets an opportunity to do something that is not right out of a textbook (see our two book chapters).  They must think their way through the kind of unexpected things that inevitably pop up while doing research. They learn a lot in that part of the course. Other courses where I have had students do research projects are as part of Honors options for my lecture courses, and for independent studies credit (CHEM 294, 494, and 496).

Students in all my courses find that I am going to push them, to challenge them, to seek their best effort. I am always fair and always happy to help, but in the end, it is up to them to give the effort.

Schedule for Fall 2023:

CHEM 210:  MWF 11:15 am – 12:05 pm

If you are a former student, please feel free to send me an email or otherwise keep in touch!

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