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Faith Whitworth

Laboratory Coordinator - Chemistry

eMail

fwhitworth@jcu.edu

Phone Number

216-397-4792

Location

Dolan Science Center W343

Employee Type

Staff

Biography

Faith has been a vital member of the department since June 1992. She launched her career as an industrial chemist during the startup phase of a local steel manufacturing plant. Later, she transitioned to water analysis and treatment.

In 1989, Faith took a sabbatical to earn her M.A. in Education, subsequently teaching high school chemistry and math. Returning to industry, she conducted research in pulping and bleaching processes for papermaking. Leveraging her extensive background in both industry and education, she now teaches the entire General Chemistry Laboratory sequence. This outcome-based course is designed to equip students with the intellectual, experimental, and interactive skills necessary for future scientific endeavors.

The course engages the students in the molecular perspective of chemistry through hands-on experimentation. It aims to develop students' ability to work safely in a laboratory environment, communicate effectively, collaborate as a team, ask critical questions, design simple experiments, and interpret results using error analyses. Instead of relying on traditional textbook experiments, Faith has rewritten laboratory experiments to promote an inquiry-based approach to scientific learning. She has compiled these lessons into a comprehensive manual. Additionally, the course integrates evolving technological capabilities through digital data collection.

In her role, Faith fosters open dialogue with students and provides opportunities for successful course completion. Her laboratory lectures accommodate various learning styles and engage students through a learner-centered approach. She has produced and edited video lectures for students to watch at home before lab sessions, allowing more time in the laboratory for experimentation, data analysis, and discussion. She continually assesses and updates the laboratory curriculum to ensure it meets the needs and levels of current students. The course culminates in a lab practical that measures student mastery of laboratory techniques and applications.

Beyond the laboratory, Faith mentors and advises both current and former students, promoting student vocational discernment. She actively encourages interest in chemistry, inviting open discussions about course topics and their relevance to current scientific issues. She provides work-study opportunities for about sixteen students each semester, training them as teaching assistants for her labs and offering them support, knowledge, and direction to enhance their job performance.

Degrees

B.S., Youngstown State University
M.S., Kent State University