Petaluman uses chemistry to build community

Santa Rosa Junior College professor Joe Fassler shares his love of science with students and the Petaluma community.|

Joe Fassler is one of the few Petaluma professionals who gets paid to play with fire.

As a chemistry instructor for 10 years at Santa Rosa Junior College, first in Santa Rosa and now at the Petaluma campus, Fassler seeks to inspire his students to love chemistry as much as he does. He’s wowed audiences with his blazing chemistry “magic show” at the college’s first LumaFest Community Open House and Education Fair last year, and the 36-year-old is dedicated to ignite the fire of learning in his students.

He said he’s always enjoyed science in general, but he became interested in the chemistry track after working a research project where he created new molecules.

“I found that I enjoyed organic chemistry and having started my own research project, which involved teaching as part of that project, I discovered that I liked teaching,” he said.

The Fortuna native also enjoyed interacting fellow students who liked chemistry and by the time he reached his second year of grad school at University of California, Berkley, when he had to decide if he was going into research or become a teacher, an adviser helped him make the big decision to pursue a teaching career.

His first gig as an educator was a part-time job at Merritt College in Oakland, and in 2006, he was hired at the Santa Rosa Junior College - a post he called his “dream job.”

“It’s a good program and a good fit,” he said, adding that his later move to the Petaluma campus “opened a lot of opportunities.”

In his classes, Fassler engages his students by using real-world examples of chemical principles in action, such as exploring the concept for why soap removes dirt, to help break down potential barriers to learning.

“They’re intimidated by it (chemistry) at first, but if I show them things one bit at a time, they can learn and build on that,” he said.

He typically sees as many as 125 students a week in the large lecture setting, adding that the bulk of chemistry classes are part of the allied health services instruction. He hopes to build out the program to grow a science track chemistry course, he said.

Lured by the potential to build a new science lab, Fassler was recruited by the college’s Vice President Jane Saldana-Talley and others to become involved in the campus expansion effort made possible by voter-passed Measure H funds. He said he’s been asked for input, though the project is “in the early stages now.”

He’s also on the outreach committee for the Petaluma campus, and enjoys the community at the local campus and beyond.

“I really appreciate Petaluma, and getting to know the campus and the people,” he said. “I enjoy it there. It’s such a great town for fostering community.”

(Contact Lynn Schnitzer at argus@arguscourier.com)

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