Monte PinkertonMonte Pinkerton
Master of Science in Applied Natural Science 3+2 Student
Roger Saul's Laboratory
I am a senior, non-traditional student double majoring in chemistry and biology. I am concurrently working toward a Masters of Science in Applied Natural Science/ Biochemistry emphasis through the 3+2 program here at USC. I am 35 years old, so I have been around the block a few times. This is not my first time attending college, as I first attended Fort Lewis College in Durango, CO immediately after high school. I was part of the football team there but the commitment to school was not present and I ended up leaving after a couple of seasons. I took another stab at college here at USC a few years later and again found myself lacking in desire and motivation to get my degree. Things are now going much better and I am enjoying the challenge of getting my degree after all of these years.
I hope to have the opportunity to teach in the future. I think that I would enjoy being at the community college level the most. Currently, I am gaining valuable experience teaching a Chemistry 101 laboratory, which I enjoy (so far). I also have a strong interest in athletics, with most of that falling in football. I coached high school football for five years at Pueblo County High School in the late 80's and early 90's. I enjoyed it very much and would love the chance to be able to get back in the coaching ranks in the future. The only thing keeping me from presently being involved is my current schedule and the time commitment I have here. I am also actively involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes here on campus.
I am working with Dr. Roger Saul and our interest lies in educational
research, which is funded through the Chemistry Department's CCHE
(Colorado Commission on Higher Education) Program of Excellence
grant. Our current research involves developing computer-interface
General Chemistry laboratory experiments. Some of the experiments
that we are presently working on include using the computer-interface
pressure sensor, thermometer, colorimeter, and voltmeter. These
are used to determine such things as unknown concentrations and
solubility-product constants, depending on the method. One example
is an electrochemistry experiment in which the solubility-product
constant can be determined from the data obtained from the computer-interface
voltmeter. The main focus of our research is to make complex concepts
understandable to the student and to facilitate the comprehension
of the basic principles involved with each experiment.