College of Science and Technology
302 Engineering Technology Building
Fairmont State University
Phone: (304) 367-4642
E-Mail: scitech@fairmontstate.edu
I earned my B.S. in Chemistry in 1980 from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. I earned an M.S. in Physics in 1984 and a Ph.D. in Physics in 1984 from Utah State University in Logan, Utah. I have done graduate research on “Theory and Ex Situ Studies of the Electrochemical Double Layer.” After graduating from USU in 1986, I took my young family to the University of Dusseldorf in West Germany where I worked as a Von Humboldt Research Fellow. I was an NSF Research Associate at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., before working as a patent examiner at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. From there we moved to Morgantown where I worked as a research assistant professor and visiting professor at West Virginia University. I came to Fairmont State in 1994 and teach physics, astronomy and chemistry (occasionally). My wife and I have enjoyed raising our eight children in Fairmont. Other interests include camping and hiking, home improvement, family history and religious and community service.
I have learned that West Virginia is a beautiful state and a great place to raise a family, with good people and a bright future. I have also learned that higher education is one of West Virginia’s greatest needs. We all need to participate in the “ascent of man.”
In my classes students learn to view and contemplate nature using the models of science. They solve problems, answer complex questions and analyze situations for decision-making. I ask them to reflect upon their own thoughts, experiences and beliefs and to share these with others. I think students appreciate my broad background in academics, my personal demeanor and my perspectives of life.
