Faculty Focus, Dr. James Perry Cleveland Professor & Chemist.
Georgia Institute of Technology, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate.
Post-doctorate Fellowship, Oregon State University.
U.S. Army & Vietnam Veteran.
How did you join the faculty at Northeast State?
(Northeast State professor) Dr. Ed Osborne who I knew from Eastman suggested I apply for adjunct faculty. In 2004, I applied to be a tutor and adjunct faculty member and came on board. Shortly thereafter Professor Dr. David Fagerburg, who also had retired from Eastman and joined the faculty, decided to retire so I applied for his position. I was fortunate to be selected and have been a full-time faculty member since 2005.
What was the transition like from the chemical industry to the classroom?
It was a shock. The chemistry textbooks had changed a great deal from my day. But I picked up on it pretty quickly. Getting a Ph.D. is not learning factual knowledge; it is gaining a grasp of the fundamentals in your field and learning how to learn. Everything made sense because I knew the fundamentals. The students are different, too, but I’ve never had a student who wasn’t capable of learning chemistry. Some may be better at it than others, but if students do the work they can get it.
Dr. James P. Cleveland
What should a student taking a college chemistry class know?
The first thing you should know is all education is self-education. A Ph.D. in chemistry teaches you how to teach chemistry. The way I was taught in fundamental chemistry classes was the professor walked in, presented the material, described it, diagrammed it, and walked out. Either you got it or you didn’t. There were many times I walked out of graduate-level chemistry courses and wondered, “What is that professor talking about?’ We were all scared to death, but we were willing to do the work. The expectations were set high, and you were expected to meet them.
What is the best way to learn chemistry?
Learning chemistry is like learning a musical instrument. You can’t sit down with an instrument, read the instructions, and learn how to play it in 30 minutes. If you want to learn to play an instrument, you can’t practice one hour a week. I tell students you need to spend at least three hours studying chemistry for every one hour you spend in class. You must practice consistently every day to learn what you need to know. If you don’t understand something ask, and practice.
How is Northeast State preparing students taking chemistry courses or seeking a chemistry degree?
We have started the Chemistry 1035 course to basic algebraic equations and problem-solving. The whole idea is to set a foundation of the math skills students will need. The course also teaches a systematic approach to reason their way through a problem. Chemistry 1035 is an elective. It is required this fall for chemistry majors. An industry doesn’t want people who are encyclopedias of knowledge. They want people who can solve problems and use innovative, alternative ways to go there.
Faculty Focus, Dr. James Perry Cleveland
Professor & Chemist.
Georgia Institute of Technology, Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate.
Post-doctorate Fellowship, Oregon State University.
U.S. Army & Vietnam Veteran.
How did you join the faculty at Northeast State?
(Northeast State professor) Dr. Ed Osborne who I knew from Eastman suggested I apply for adjunct faculty. In 2004, I applied to be a tutor and adjunct faculty member and came on board. Shortly thereafter Professor Dr. David Fagerburg, who also had retired from Eastman and joined the faculty, decided to retire so I applied for his position. I was fortunate to be selected and have been a full-time faculty member since 2005.
What was the transition like from the chemical industry to the classroom?
It was a shock. The chemistry textbooks had changed a great deal from my day. But I picked up on it pretty quickly. Getting a Ph.D. is not learning factual knowledge; it is gaining a grasp of the fundamentals in your field and learning how to learn. Everything made sense because I knew the fundamentals. The students are different, too, but I’ve never had a student who wasn’t capable of learning chemistry. Some may be better at it than others, but if students do the work they can get it.
What should a student taking a college chemistry class know?
The first thing you should know is all education is self-education. A Ph.D. in chemistry teaches you how to teach chemistry. The way I was taught in fundamental chemistry classes was the professor walked in, presented the material, described it, diagrammed it, and walked out. Either you got it or you didn’t. There were many times I walked out of graduate-level chemistry courses and wondered, “What is that professor talking about?’ We were all scared to death, but we were willing to do the work. The expectations were set high, and you were expected to meet them.
What is the best way to learn chemistry?
Learning chemistry is like learning a musical instrument. You can’t sit down with an instrument, read the instructions, and learn how to play it in 30 minutes. If you want to learn to play an instrument, you can’t practice one hour a week. I tell students you need to spend at least three hours studying chemistry for every one hour you spend in class. You must practice consistently every day to learn what you need to know. If you don’t understand something ask, and practice.
How is Northeast State preparing students taking chemistry courses or seeking a chemistry degree?
We have started the Chemistry 1035 course to basic algebraic equations and problem-solving. The whole idea is to set a foundation of the math skills students will need. The course also teaches a systematic approach to reason their way through a problem. Chemistry 1035 is an elective. It is required this fall for chemistry majors. An industry doesn’t want people who are encyclopedias of knowledge. They want people who can solve problems and use innovative, alternative ways to go there.
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