My teaching and research interests are integrated and revolve around the study of the distribution and fate of organic molecules in the environment. An important component of this type of work is analytical chemistry, which involves using advanced tools designed to separate, identify and quantify chemical species at low concentrations in complex mixtures. The Applied Environmental Research Laboratories (AERL) at VIU provides some of these tools. My teaching duties includes: Environmental Chemical Analysis (CHEM 311), which is an introduction to quantitative analysis techniques; Aqueous Environmental Chemistry (CHEM 301) and Atmospheric Environmental Chemistry (CHEM 302), which are theory/topics courses, which apply the central concepts of thermodynamics and kinetics to important chemical reactions in the natural environment; Environmental Organic Chemistry (CHEM 331), which was developed to introduce students to the concepts of physical organic chemistry through the study of the factors that influence the distribution and molecular transformations of organic molecules in natural environments. Many of the topics covered in these courses relate directly to the on-going work in the AERL - using novel experimental approaches and advanced analytical instruments. Students can become directly involved in this work by enrolling in Directed Research (CHEM 490) or through employment opportunities as research assistants. My favourite and most challenging course to teach is Principles of Chemistry II (CHEM 142).
