Justin Pratt, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry (College of Arts and Sciences), is ATL’s May 2024 Faculty Spotlight.

Spotlight Statement

I primarily teach first-year chemistry for STEM and chemistry majors, and they are my favorite classes to teach! CHM 101 or 191 are where the foundations are laid that are intended to set students up for success in their future courses, majors, and careers; so, I take that responsibility quite seriously in how I think about my class, pedagogy, and content. Specifically, I purposefully break down “power barriers” between me and my students by informally interacting with them before/after class, joking around with them, engaging their interests as examples for content, etc. But it is also challenging to speak to all students when the class consists of every type of STEM discipline/major. In the end, I practice a lot of reflective pedagogies where I think about how lessons/activities/discussions went, how to revise them for future iterations, and what topics need further discussion in class. Providing students ample opportunities to reflect on their learning and provide me feedback on my approaches are also crucial, both for student success and my overall data-driven approach. In general, I would say that I am successful if, in 10 years, my students think less “Ugh, I hated chemistry” and more like “I appreciate how chemistry is everywhere around me.”  

I am an avid reader and love the outdoors! In warmer weather, you can find me walking/hiking with my dog and kayaking, all with a good audiobook (sci fi, adventure, and fantasy are my favorites). In colder weather,  you can find me taking quick walks with the dog (who hates the cold) and playing video games with my husband.