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Show THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE The Good, the Bad, and the $ f Jennifer Mitchell Chronicle Feature Columnist Richmond named his inventions Gigascale Molecular Models because he figures they are about a billion times larger than actual molecules, and he thinks the name has a nice ring to it. Credit Union As Fast as You Can I hat do dog toys, sprinkler systems and chemistry books have in common? Welcome to the classroom of U chemistry Professor Tom Richmond. While fixing his sprinkler system several years ago, Richmond came up with an idea for molecule models he hoped would ease his "frustration with what was available for effective teaching of basic chemistry." In his work as a professor and counselor for the chemistry department, Richmond tries to help students discover the value of studying chemistry. He tells students that when they study chemistry, they learn applied math, a whole new set of terms that form what is almost a new language, and the principles of science. "You're bringing in stuff from many different directions," Richmond said. "We're trying to teach problem solving, not just chemistry." Richmond finds being creative when explaining chemistry theories to his classes works best. Drawing further inspiration from a flexible plastic dog toy, Richmond began building models of molecules for use in his classes. The models, composed of sprinkler piping and flexible plastic joints, are used to help students visualize the three dimensional shape of molecules. Richmond says understanding the shape of molecules is essential to understanding their function. W to the Run As produce them," he said. RYAN PARKER Chronicle Staff Writer v " 3 Prof. Promotes Learning by the Gigascale IRRITATING c Tuesday, January 14, 2003 get older and take on and more the idea of packing up and living in a grass hut away from all civilization becomes increasingly appealing. Why? Because I would never have to talk to a customer service representative of any kind ever again. How great would it be to write bad checks for your hut supplies with "suck it" written on the memo line and embark on a new life free of cell phones, bank accounts and credit cards? Who's comin' with me? Perhaps you feel I am exaggerating, but then again, you didn't speak to the bank's customer service representative I had the pleasure of speaking with today. Why do they call these people "customer service representatives?" How about "minions of the devil here to inform you about how their companies are going to bend you over and...well, you know." Anyway, I called to point out that the bank had erroneously charged me three separate fees totaling $70 for one returned check. The kind woman on the other end let me know that the charges were in fact the bank's set charges for returned checks. Get right but of town! After I asked why credit unions charge only one $15 fee for returned checks, she replied, "Well we are out to make money." Thanks! Glad to know that I made it possible for a bank exec's kid to have another tennis lesson. Glad to have paid $72.88 for a bottle of $A$! water from the gas station! I guess she was just being honest. Banks really are the smartest corporations around. My favorite gimmickthe student credit card. They advertise that you can use it to pay for books, gas and emergencies, all with the low, low annual interest rate of 25 percent. But, how many people use their "student" credit card for those things? Banks are "banking" (wow, I'm a dork) on the fact that emergencies become, for example, ordering pizza after a night out at the bar. Banks know that drunken "put it on my tab" moments happen often in college. There should be a law that voids such credit card purchases. I wouldn't mind being breathal-izeHow much money do you think credit card companies have made off of "college night" at bars? Student credit cards begin an ugly cycle of running up credit card debt, paying it off with student loans and then starting all over again. I used to justify this on the basis that President Bush made it our patriotic duty to spend money we don't have, and, dammit, my credit card was ready for the call! I have figured it out now. My credit card is officially canceled so there stupid bank. If it wasn't such a pain in the ass, I would even move my account (all $75 of it) to a credit union. Instead, I will just warn all of you to run, not walk, to the credit union. d. jmitchellchronicle.utah.edu f3 Although today his classes are largetype of hands- - on experiences students can get from teaching tools such as his Gigascale Models, interaction has not always been an important part of Richmond's teaching style. He recalls one of the first classes he taught at the U. "I think the top 20 percent really enjoyed it, but the rest were left in a n ; J j ly based on the I jf vetoes' blur." Richmond says his early experiences as a teacher taught him what he considers to be one of the fundamental elements of teaching. And, he says, he's a better teacher for it. "Teaching is not showing how much I know," Richmond said. "It's interacting with students and learning to present knowledge in an interactive way." His insight into how to become a J ,,n - - - , -rl -r ,nr Z r, uses sprinkler piping in his chemistry classes to help visualize the three dimensional shape of molecules. Tom Richmond students better teacher earned Richmond the Associated Students of the University of Utah- Student's Choice Award for Teaching and in 1997 he received the Presidential Teaching Scholar Award. Richmond also commits significant amounts of time to his research on the organometallic chemistry of fluorocar-bonWith his team of research assisis seeking "new ways of seleche tants, tively activating and functionalizing fluorocarbons using metals as catalysts to control these transformations." The opportunity to both teach and do research at the U has helped him to "grow as a scientist and a person," he three-dimension- al 1 1 j s. "What matters ultimately is shape because a molecule's shape usually leads to its function," he said. Richmond's students are not the only ones who appreciate his inventive models. He recently received a grant from the Dreyfus Foundation, a large chemical foundation in New York, that wants to help him share his invention with says. ii world... r M Iff -- Jt- other chemistry teachers around the Richmond uses his role as a researcher to help students gain hands-o- n experience in the lab. He uses both graduate and undergraduate assistants to help with projects that give students the opportunity to play a key role in important chemical research. Richmond's use of the lab as a teach- - world. "Eventually we would like to mass see RICHMOND, page 4 The Pie Deliver! l Paris $494 LUIIUUM PHI O Rome $570 $547 Amsderdam f X- - $ .u I-- Fate is roundthp, based on low season Subject to change and availability, fax not inrturtari Rgtulnrtmn. amiw hlnrlrruttn ..w.- - annlu www.statravel.com ItIC on the PHonc online r 9 f v TRAVEL on enmpu the treet on Have goa considered an MBA? do not need an undergraduate degree You Anywhere on campus ink in if nv in if mom 'A ... . mimm 1 r in business. Come to our MBA Information Session Wednesday January 15, 2003 3:30 p.m. Olpin Union Bldg Panorama East Rm 1:30 -- Refreshments i nV 1 B J Uvs? i IHJ ut & Delivery Dine-I- n Can't make it? Stop by or contact us at the 300 S. 1300 E. 1320E. 200 S. (In tha baaamant - be served - The Pie Pizzeria Take-O- will bkw 582-570- tha University Pharmacy) 0 David Eccles School of Business BuC Room 460 58J-778- 5 www.business.utah.edumasters (t'll-t- f V H !"'! t '4 '."(i'ii.uil.I., DAVID ECCLES SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Master of Business Administration ' i t v J |
