1994-1995 Annual Report Text

The pedagogical highlight of '94-'95 for Don was the very successful Critical Issues Symposium that he co-chaired on Genetic Engineering. That symposium featured the Human Genome Project's Director, Dr. Francis Collins. Just as the summer of 1994 included Environmental and Energy Workshops, so the summer of 1995 starts out the same for Don. In the academic season, Don taught in three kinds of general chemistry, the lecture for the majors, the lecture and lab for the pre-nursing course and the lecture for the non-majors, Contemporary Chemistry. In the second semester he traded the lab course for his popular senior seminar, Science and Human Values. The presentation that Don made at the 1994 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education was accepted for publication. He also published an presented a paper to the American Nuclear Society's International Meeting on High Level Radioactive Waste in Las Vegas. Both of those relate to insights gained from his teaching the non-majors course about the chemistry associated with nuclear waste issues. He also participated in a science teachers workshop on the subject in Bethesda, Maryland last November.

In March Don was appointed Chairperson to the Michigan Low-Level Radioactive Waste Authority's newly created Board of Governors. As such, Don is to help the state reformulate its legislation so that a volunteer site can be found for the safe isolation of Michigan's Low-Level Radioactive Waste. The work has tested every communication, human relations and political skill that Don has. Maybe that is why he seems to love the work.

Don continues to review and edit manuscripts that are to become, General Chemistry textbooks. He also has written several articles for a new encyclopedia of science. He continues to be the college Faculty Secretary.