Chemistry is Fun

Chemistry

I was a Chemistry major at Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, AR. So, it should be obvious that I enjoy chemistry. I was first introduced to chemistry in the fifth grade when I participated in a program for L.E.A.D. students that would allow students in the 5th grade to become introduced to classes normally not experienced until High School or College. I took the Chemistry, Biology, and Word Processing Sections. The chemistry class, although rudimentary to say the least, sparked an interest for me. Especially when, due to an accident, we had to vacate the room. This was my first experience with chemistry lab and needless to say, I loved it.

I enjoyed the Chemistry class then and I enjoyed the year of Chemistry that I took in High School. My teacher at that point was Fred Taylor. Mr. Taylor had been teaching almost 32 years by that point and had almost everything down by memory. He also had a very dry delivery of his class material. It was a challenge to stay awake in his class especially since it was right after lunch. We had lecture everyday with only very few labs. The small number of labs made it difficult for many students to understand some of the concepts. To me, my interest was sparked even more. I was able to stay awake most of the time and learned enough to help me decide to enroll at Arkansas Tech as a Chemistry major.

I have had the pleasure of having several very good Professors teach me Chemistry. Probably the one professor that played a major role in me staying a Chemistry major during my first few years at Tech was Dr. Martin Perry, Jr. Dr. Perry was one of the young professors in the Department. He had a great deal of enthusiasm for teaching and spent a lot of time working with students to try to help them understand chemistry. Since then, Dr. Perry has moved on to teach chemistry at Ouchita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, AR. From the comments I have heard from students there and from working with him as a member of the American Chemical Society, I would say that he still has that enthusiasm.

Another professor that really helped keep my spirits high during those first semesters was Dr. Timothy Sherwood. Dr. Sherwood was the Biochemistry professor at Tech for several years. I was introduced to him at first through his support of the Chemistry Club at Tech. He was very influential in getting the Chemistry Club funds to attend the National American Chemical Society meeting in Dallas in the Spring of 1998. He also was very easy going when necessary to provide a good atmosphere in his classes so that his students would be willing to learn. I was sorry to see him leave Tech to return to the Northeast. He is currently teaching at Westminster in Pennsylvania.

Since those first semesters, I matured as an undergraduate chemistry student. During the spring semester of the year 1999, I participated in a research project with Dr. Frank Hardcastle sponsored by one of many NASA Research grants. We were investigating a computational method of estimating and assigning observed Raman Spectral bands to corrosion products. I was able to present the results and thought behind that project at the NASA Space Grant and Undergraduate Research Symposium in Arkadelphia, AR and at the Arkansas Academy of Science Symposium held at Tech that spring.

During the summer of that year, I participated in an Undergraduate Research program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. It was at this point, I feel that I really started maturing. I was allowed to work in the labs whenever I wanted to as long as I was working on a project. There was funding provided for much needed compounds and equipment which is something that is not as common at Tech. The project that I worked on was an investigation of Linoleic Acid, an essential fatty acid, and its metabolites in a particular model. The results from that project has been published in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology and can be found on the web or you can click here to view it.

I graduated Magna Cum Laude with an ACS Certified Chemistry degree from Tech in May 2000. Since then I have been hired as a Research Assistant in the lab of Dr. David Grant at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Since being hired, I have worked with the lab towards two other papers to this point. One paper has been submitted to Chemical Research in Toxicology (CRT), another paper to Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, and one to Toxicological Letters. The paper submitted to CRT has been accepted for publication and will be in press shortly. That work was conducted mainly by Jeff Moran and Thetsu Mon. Thetsu was an undergraduate involved in the Summer Research Program sponsored by the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology at UAMS with additional funding provided through various grants. Thetsu was continuing the work with the linoleic acid metabolites in an Sf-21 cell model. The second paper to TAP is the last paper that Jeff Moran had to complete to finish his graduation requirements. The paper focuses on the role of linoleic acid and its metabolites on Ca++ infux/eflux. The paper submitted to Toxicology Letters is my first paper submitted in which I am the first author. We are awaiting word from the editor/reviewers to see if this paper will be accepted or rejected.

Dr. Grant has not left UAMS to take up a teaching/research position at the University of Connecticut.

One of the many benefits of science is the opportunity to travel that you get. Scientists are constantly traveling to different cities to attend meetings. During and since my undergraduate years, I have traveled to Dallas, New Orleans, Philadelphia, and San Francisco to attend meetings. It is an added benefit of science.

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