PhD in physical chemistry with 15 years teaching in higher ed

Jason F.

My name is Jason. In 2001 I received my Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Florida. My post-doctoral studies were at the University of Kentucky. My most recent academic position was for the 2019-20 academic year at Seton Hill University (SHU), Greensburg, PA, where I served as Chemistry Instructor and Laboratory Coordinator. Unfortunately, my contract at SHU was not renewed for the current academic year due to Covid-19 related financial restructuring. Before my position at Seton Hill, I held faculty appointments at Wheeling Jesuit University (WJU), Wheeling, WV, and Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), Richmond, KY.

I have taught general chemistry and physical chemistry and their associated labs since 2006. Pedagogically, I’m interested in guided inquiry methods and the appropriate integration of technology in the classroom. Outside of work, I enjoy cooking and kayaking.

My specialty is physical chemistry. This field attempts to describe the chemical nature of matter using physical principles, thus it relies heavily on mathematical interpretations, especially algebra and calculus. In my chemistry courses, as much as 30% of the deliverable content could classically be described as mathematics instruction. When teaching these topics I focus on the why and how certain methods are used instead of memorizing algorithms.

I have taught chemistry at the university level for more than 15 years, and have been responsible for the curriculum development of the general chemistry programs for the majority of that time. My pedagogy uses guided inquiry methods with an emphasis on problem-solving techniques.