Sibrina Speaks

During a recent church service, I was flipping through my bible and found the following passage: "Keep a close watch on yourself and on your teaching. Stay true to what is right, and God will save you and those who hear you." (Tim 4:16) I have read this passage several times since then, and I have reflected on what it means for my life. Not just professionally, but personally as well. As you know, I teach chemistry to undergraduate students and it is always a challenge to engage young people. As educators, we know that we cannot teach the way we were taught, so we have to find creative strategies to "reach" students in the classroom. I have adapted many teaching styles because there is no "one size fits all" model with learning. But, the passage above also helps me focus on the learning goals for class. What do I really want my students to know? That is the one question I try to keep in mind when I prepare a lesson plan. Personally, this passage also r...

Yes, this past weekend, a group of friends and I decided to see the movie “The Help” starring Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer working as maids in Jackson, MS during the Civil Rights Movement. The movie included other Hollywood heavyweights such as Cicely Tyson and Sissy Spacek. Do you remember watching the movies The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman and Carrie ? Awesome! I will not give away the plot of the movie because I do wish to encourage others to see it and make a decision for themselves. But, the goal for us as a group was to watch the movie and then sit down and “analyze it” over a bite to eat. The consensus of the group is that the movie had some good moments, but there were scenes that were either unrealistic and/or troubling to watch. That’s Hollywood for you, right? Moreover, the handling of the Civil Rights Movement and the impact of the assassination of the late Medgar Evers, was kind of a “back drop” to overall theme of the movie. Honestly, “The Help” was be...

Yes, I know it is only mid-August, but this means that the summer vacations are coming to an end real soon. Believe me, I know it has gone by much too quickly. It is not over yet, so you can still relax. But, it is time for a little reflection. What have I accomplished professionally this summer? Actually, I was in the laboratory for most of the summer working with a really good student. We didn't accomplish everything we wanted, but I am pleased with the research progress. In addition, I am proud of another milestone this summer--I submitted a proposal to the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support my research efforts. I believe the proposal is strong and competitive. And, I think we are doing some really good and fun research. In addition, classes start in a couple of weeks, and I am getting myself ready for another productive academic year. Keep me in your prayers! I have also a spent a little time this summer working on brief articles focused on African American contr...

Well, the end of the semester has finally arrived and I am truly thankful the academic year is now over. As usual, there have been many challenges along the way, but overall the experience has been rewarding. On the drive home today, I began to reflect on many other things that I am most thankful for as well. We often tend to reflect on these kinds of things during holidays, but there is no reason why we shouldn't recognize our blessings everyday. Here is my top ten list of things that I am thankful for (in reverse order): 10. I am thankful that the Young and the Restless is still on the air. (I am a fan of this show! Have you noticed how many soap operas are now gone??? Perhaps the television executives believe that reality shows are the new soap operas. I completely disagree.) 9. I am thankful for DSW and good outlet malls! (Enough said...) 8. I am thankful for good television shows such as Clean House and Hoarders. (This helps me keep my shopping in check.) 7. I am thankful for...

Well, the spring semester is now in full swing, and I'm teaching an advanced course with 11 students. The students will be giving powerpoint presentations on various topics in the field of inorganic chemistry throughout the semester. In order to make things a little easier for the students, I suggested they bring their powerpoint presentations on a flash drive and load them onto my laptop on the days they are presenting their talks. (Believe me technology is only wonderful when it works!) To my surprise, one of my students stated that "nobody uses portable flash drives to store their stuff." I replied that when I was in graduate school, I saved my dissertation on three or four floppy disks." A second student replied, "What's a floppy disk?" I found his response quite amusing and laughed and told him to shut up. All the students found this to be quite humorous. However, at that moment, I realized I was OLD to these young people. Have a I turned into ...

On this day, we honor and celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His impact on this country 43 years after his assassination is undeniable. This morning, as I drove to work, I really thought about how the countless and selfless sacrifices of so many made it possible for me to be here. I am truly thankful. Growing up in my home town of Detroit, Michigan, I never dreamed of being a chemistry professor, but I am. Yes, it is very true that the numbers of African American chemistry professors is dismal, but I am still truly thankful. Why? I have the opportunity to impact the next generation of chemists. And no, this path has not been easy. But, I am still thankful. The point I wish to make is that because of our Civil Rights pioneers, my journey (and yours) has been a lot easier. Happy MLK Day. Prof. Sibrina Collins (smile)