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Sharing a contagious passion for chemistry

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Professor Joseph Merola grew up in an era when he got chemistry sets for Christmas. "And those were when chemistry sets had chemicals in them, and probably more dangerous chemicals than I should have been trusted with at the time," said Merola. Since then, he received his Ph.D. and worked for Exxon Research and Engineering Company. Today, he shares a contagious passion for chemistry with students at Virginia Tech.
You're going to then attach that to the back or why? The number one response I get when I tell people that I'm a chemistry majors, like wow, like how are you doing that? Like it. I did it in high school and I hated it or no hard like props to you. I get that response a lot. When people taking a high school, it's, it's often confusing for a lot of people said isn't entirely new science. People don't understand it very well. To sell as much as I hate to say it. That doesn't really go away when you get into college. It's still very complicated. It's actually quite fun. I think it's hard, but I think when you're passionate for it, I think it's easier to get over that leg bump. You get your nice solid. I can look back first or second grade to know that I liked science and especially chemistry. I grew up in an era when I got chemistry sets for Christmas. And those were with chemistry sets have chemicals in them and probably more dangerous chemicals than I should have been trusted with at the time. But I just loved seeing changes, transformations. These are two salt plates that are, I've always known that I wanted to do some type of science. And in high school I took chemistry and I loved it. I liked that it was kinda versatile. You could really do anything with it. And it was the foundation of like everything from like pharmaceutical to food production. And then this is going, I just think chemistry has so much to offer. It impacts so much of life. You can't go anywhere without touching through chemistry and it's only like a 0.00 something millimeter pathlength. It's not I actually, after getting a PhD, went to work for Exxon research and engineering company. I loved the chemistry we did at Exxon, but I really thought I miss working with students teaching, so I can hear it. I did a lot of out-of-state touring and I found this place. But I got to specifically work with the chemistry department and they were so welcoming. I thought, okay, I'm going to be very helpful here if I come here. And that's honestly, I didn't get that in many other colleges that I have visited. So when it came down to it, I was thinking I'm gonna be the most relevant here. I think I'm going to have the best experience here. So I should go here.