James J.
Private tutor in Gainesville, FL
Education
BS Biology, Chartre Oaks College, CT, 1982, BS Chemistry, FSU, Tallahassee, FL, 1984, MS Chemistry, FSU, Tallahassee, FL, 1986, ME Env Engineering, UF, Gainesville, FL 1989 Avg GPA ~ 3.4-3.6 +20 graduate hrs in Biochemistry + 20 graduate hrs in Biology Laboratory courses: Chemistry 1st yr Analytical Chemistry 1st yr Biology 1st yr Biochemistry 1st yr Ass't in A&P labs
Experience
Teaching experience at several Community Colleges (Adjunct) in Florida and Colorado. I have taught Bio101a, 101b and Chemistry 101a, 101b and first semester Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry. Have published as an independent researcher 7 articles since 2009, the latest appearing in Current Biology 2017 (discovery of the enzyme in birds that creates red carotenoid pigments used, e.g., by cardinals) and recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on the white canary (disrupted carotenoid transport). Other Journals that I have recently published in include Free Radical Biology & Medicine, American Naturalist, Biochimie, Ecology Letters and the Proceedings of the Royal Society Part B. I would prefer Skype with screen sharing - I think images are especially important in teaching fundamental principles in both biology and chemistry - so a power point presentation style with a lively discussion would likely work well. I encourage students to participate and take part in the discussion, this can be accomplished by asking leading questions, etc. It is important that students see themselves as co-discoverers of concepts. So long as I have a handle on the material the student needs to review beforehand (1 or 2 days) I will be able to assemble images and briefs that I have stored in files on backup drives for the last 20+ years. My approach in teaching is to get to the core of the material and make sure the student is with me from the start - and from this footing move forward one concept at a time until the full picture emerges and the student understands the principles. Many topics in biochemistry and chemistry can be difficult for students (such as word problems in chemistry) but I have learned how to parse out the details and the underlying concepts in such a way as to guide the student and inspire confidence in their understanding of the material. I have had several students along the way succeed in the biochemistry field as doctors and researchers (meeting them later on). I am not a professor and work independently, primarily with avian genomes with emphasis on ornamentation. The part time money will help as I am also engaged in pro bono programming supporting a citizen water sampling environmental organization with web sites now active in Alabama (AL Water Watch - to see citizen charts visit https://web.auburn.edu/aww/charts/awwSiteGrid.aspx), Mexico, Bolivia and Argentina (Global water watch). I have built websites such as the recent one for Mexico (see https://web.auburn.edu/gww/mex/Default.aspx) using ASP.NET, SQL Sever and Google Maps). Finally I always find enjoyment in seeing students obtain a basic understanding that may have escaped them previously - this is because when I was a student I remember these moments made a big difference in many areas, including reading comprehension. I stress preparation in order to facilitate on-line discussions (1 or 2 days notice for me is plenty to line up a session). Preparing adequate materials for the tutorial helps the student to more readily understand the biology/chemistry issues under discussion. Helping the student understand the core ideas of scientific topics is essential for the student to progress and move forward.
Availability
Any day at any time
Can Meet
Up to 30 minutes away for no additional charge
Hobbies
Lately I have been restricted in traveling since I am caring for an elderly family member. I have an office outside the main house. My hobbies include music (guitar) and hiking when I can arrange it. I also learned snowboarding while in Montana for a short time. I like to stay physically active as much as I can and even if it's just a trip to a friend's house to help build something I enjoy getting outdoors. I love history and read as much as I can with emphasis on history post 1750 in Europe, Russia, China and the US. I would encourage a quick phone call to discuss briefly the student's requirements and to introduce myself - I can supply the number once contacted.
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