About

As an Ohio native, I found my way to the South leaving me accentless but a lover of sweet tea. I spent my teenage years in Florida where the humidity is overbearing and the rain operates around a predictable schedule. After college, I made my way to Mississippi. It is quite lovely here. After 15 years, I scooted on over to Georgia where I currently reside. My mother is a true inspiration. I love my wife, our two miniature dachshunds (Gus and Charlie), our cat (Penelope), photography, and coffee.

I like teaching

I have been teaching large sections of Chemistry I and II and a variety of other classes since 2014. I have taught, on average, 370 students per semester (cumulative total of 6285 students) not including summer terms.

Courses Taught:

  • CH-1213 – Chemistry I
  • CH-1223 – Chemistry II
  • CH-1141 – Prof. Chem: Paths
  • CH-2141 – Prof. Chem: Tools
  • CH-3141 – Prof. Chem: Literature
  • CH-4711 – Senior Seminar
  • CH-8990 – Prof. Chem: Current Problems (computational chemistry support)

Teaching Evaluation Summary

Below are the averages, by category, of 13 semesters (Fall 2014 – Fall 2020) of student evaluations in Chemistry I and II.

Legend for Plot
  • Global = Global Index
  • Expectations = Instructor created high expectations for the class
  • Effectiveness = Instructor conveyed the course content in an effective manner
  • Interesting = Instructor made class interesting
  • Enthusiasm = Instructor was enthusiastic about the course
  • Accessibility = Instructor was accessible outside of class time to respond to my questions or concerns
  • Learning = I learned a great deal in this class
  • Presentation = Presentation of course content helped me learn in this class
  • Exam Fairness = Tests were fair
  • Exam Reflection = Tests reflected material presented in lecture and/or assigned reading
  • Grading Time = Tests and/or assignments were graded within a reasonable period of time
  • Recommended = I would recommend this instructor to other students

Study session in the library before the exam (S’2017).

Getting hyped right before passing out the final exam (S’2017).

Credit to Brooklynn Knowles (S’24) for the discovery of this new element.

The ‘Chemistry II’ is OVER party (S’2020) [Photo Credit: mdawg9 - Twitch Moderator and PI of the mdawg9 Theory of Relativity].

A student shows off his new haircut (S’2020).

Spring 2024 10AM

I have learned a lot from my students.

I like research

I was introduced to the world of computational chemistry as a sophomore undergraduate student in 2006 when I applied for a summer research job to help pay the bills. Prof. Robert A Vergenz was my mentor and he guided me into my first project, mapping out a reaction mechanism for a simple amino acid condensation reaction. In graduate school, Prof. Gregory S. Tschumper introduced convergent quantum chemistry to me and sophisticated methodologies. When I was a post-doc, Prof. C. Edwin Webster exposed me to a wide range of applications including NMR chemical shift modeling, organometallic chemistry, excited-state characterizations, and more.

I am very grateful to each of these incredible people.

I like SMACS

Be sure to check out the [new SMACS website]!

SMACS is the “Student Members of the American Chemical Society”, a professional organization for undergraduates interested in chemistry. I was the faculty advisor to the Mississippi State SMACS chapter for 8 years (2016–2024). We have managed to do a lot of great things, including winning a national award from the ACS, with much help from others.

It has been a lot of fun.

Some highlights:

  • First ChemDawg NCW Tailgate Extravaganza – Oct. 2018
  • First ACS ChemLuminary win by the Mississippi State SMACS group – Aug. 2019
  • First ACS Innovative Project Grant (for NCW 2019 Escape Rooms) – Aug. 2019
  • First SMACS-funded annual scholarship for chemistry majors (SMACS Chemistry Annual Excellence Scholarship) – Feb. 2020

SMACS Videos

2018 NCW

2019 NCW

2020 CCEW

I like Halloween

Found my twin in Taylor Fultz! (2020)

Dr. Whitnee Nettles is Hattie, the Swamp Witch. (2020).
Swamp Witch - Jim Stafford - 1974