Faculty Spotlight: Justin Massing of UM-Flint Chemistry
Justin Massing, PhD, joined the UM-Flint College of Arts & Sciences in Fall 2016 as an assistant professor of organic chemistry.
Read below to learn more about him and the field of organic chemistry, or join him in one of his Winter 2017 classes:
- CHM 330 – Organic Chemistry
(MW, 2:30-3:45pm + (4) Friday test dates) - CHM 331 – Organic Chemistry Lab
(T, 8am-12pm; R, 12:30pm-4:30pm; + (2) Friday test dates) - CHM 452 – Biochemistry II (TR, 11am-12:15pm)
Students can register now at sis.umflint.edu or find more information at umflint.edu/register.
Why are you passionate about your field?
I firmly believe that chemistry has the potential to address environmental and health issues on a global scale.
What are your favorite courses/subjects to teach?
I’m most excited to teach spectroscopy of organic compounds (CHM 468) next fall. This course examines how different wavelengths of light can be applied towards elucidating organic structures. The spectroscopic techniques to be covered in this class are frequently employed in diagnosing disease and monitoring human health.
What is your latest or favorite research project?
My current research is focused on creating chemical probes that can detect molecular events associated with disease progression. Specifically, I want to noninvasively visualize epigenetic modifications known to influence DNA organization, and therefore how our genes are expressed.
How did you fall in love with your discipline?
I fell in love with chemistry thanks to my 7th grade science teacher, whose genuine eccentricity made learning the subject an engaging experience.
What do you hope for your time at UM-Flint?
To share my passion for learning, and to meaningfully impact students’ lives.
What do you hope for students in your field?
I hope that all students at UM–Flint would pursue independent research at some point during their college career.
What are three things you think people should know about you?
My wife is also a chemist.
I do the cooking and cleaning at home.
My wife and I brew our own beer.
To learn more about chemistry and biochemistry at UM-Flint, visit umflint.edu/chemistry. To register for courses, visit sis.umflint.edu or umflint.edu/register.
