I am an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Physics at the Louisiana State University in Shreveport, where I teach Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Biochemistry, and General Chemistry. Since 2022, I have been a George A. Khoury, Jr. Endowed Super Professor in Space Science, a recognition of my 20-year career that integrates ultrahigh-vacuum surface science and electrochemistry.
Before joining the LSU family, I served as a Staff Scientist for nearly a decade at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, CA. At the crux of my work was the heterogeneous catalysis of the core reactions of artificial photosynthesis. The goal was to produce vehicular fuels like ethanol from atmospheric carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight.
My journey began as a teacher, long before I became a scientist. I have had the unique experience of teaching all five core courses in a modern B.S. Chemistry program (Inorganic, Organic, Physical, Analytical, and Biochemistry), along with related courses such as Environmental Chemistry and Chemistry Literature. Over a decade of teaching experience across graduate and undergraduate programs has shown me that learning styles vastly differ, just as teaching styles do. I constantly strive to create an inclusive learning environment for all types of learners.
My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that learning thrives when students confidently embrace the challenge of understanding, questioning, and applying new knowledge. An effective teacher arouses the natural curiosity for the unknown. I believe that my task goes beyond the book-to-lecture transmission of facts and figures. To invoke Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development, if you do not experience a sense of intellectual discomfort in my classes, then you may not be pushing yourself enough to truly learn. Take it from me who grew up in the balmy yet often tempestuous archipelago of the western Pacific Ocean: Like sailing in calm familiar waters, you are unlikely to encounter new discoveries or valuable opportunities for growth. |
