Patricia Goodson, associate professor in the Department of Chemistry, is described as a teacher who “truly cares about the students’ welfare,” according to colleagues. They beam, “This comes home in nearly everything she does in the courses, ranging from organizing extra help sessions to providing a compassionate handling of unusual circumstances (for example, students with family problems) to making up and using new demonstrations to help keep the class lively.”

Goodson’s primary teaching responsibilities include General Chemistry II, Intro to Chemistry and Intro to Organic Chemistry. Most of these classes are not for science majors, but are requirements for other majors.

“Patricia Goodson is a truly outstanding teacher of a difficult subject,” says a former student. “One thing that Patricia does in all her classes is to tie the material being studied to the ‘real world.’ That way, her students can see how the principles being presented can be applied to their own lives,” a colleague says.

Fellow faculty members note that she takes a great amount of time to prepare demonstrations for her classes. They say these classroom demonstrations not only illustrate the material, but also add interest by breaking up the lectures. “Performing demonstrations with eye-catching pyrotechnics,” is a great way to hold the students’ interest in the material, notes a senior professor. Another writes, “Patricia does the ‘little bit extra’ that clearly differentiates her from many excellent instructors on campus and places her in the exceptional classroom instructor category.”

Students appreciate Goodson’s commitment to their education. According to one student, “She is very methodical in her teaching, and builds one concept on another, tying them together to teach relationships necessary for a complete understanding of the subject.” Another student comments, “I have never had an instructor so willing to be available.”

Students claim, “Dr. Goodson gives her students all the resources they need to succeed, including study guides, practice exams posted on the class Web site, and the course packet she has prepared which is highly helpful to ensure that crucial concepts are not overlooked in note-taking during class.”

Goodson received her B.S. (1983) at the University of Alabama, her M.S. (1986) at the University of Wisconsin and her Ph.D. (1990) at the University of Wyoming. She has been at the University of Wyoming since 1986, serving as a graduate and teaching assistant, lecturer, assistant academic professional lecturer and associate academic professional lecturer, all within the Department of Chemistry.

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