Page 187 - ThePhoenix1995-96

FEATURES Wladkowski returns to his alma mater as a Prof. occasion when he and Wladkowski ever to graduate from WMC may AOAM M. KUN" were studying some books in the come true now that Wladkowski ConlribwingWriler library and he looked up from an has returned to the college. Rou- ·or. Bnan Wladkowskt never exciting discovery to find his as- zer and Smith both conduct re- saw it as his destiny to return to sistant more interested in the at- search at the National Cancer In- Western Maryland College to teach tractive girl working in the library. stitute, but Rouzer is currently on alongside professors who once After graduating, Wladkowski sabbatical, and Wladkowski is just taught him the same complex attended Stanford University beginning to get his research pro- chemical derivations he now lec- where he got his Ph.D. Born in gram started at WMC. tures about himself. Baltimore and raised on the East- Chemistry Professor Dr. David Wladkowski is the newest as- ern Shore, the opportunity to move Herlocker did not imagine that sistant professor in the chemistry to California offered Wladkowski Wladkowski would be teaching at department, and also a 1988 WMC a change of scenery and a chance Western Maryland. He feels that graduate. Chemistry Professor Dr. to be closer to his two brothers who Wladkowski has the ability to teach Richard H. Smith Jr., once live on the West Coast. or do research anywhere, including Wladkowski's mentor and now a Wladkowski received his doc- much larger universities. He, 100, colleague, recalls that when Brian torate in 1993 and continued his is not complaining that first came to Western Maryland he computational studies by doing Wladkowski decided to return here, was a "diamond in the rough," not- post-doctoral work at the National even though sharing an office with ing that he was not well prepared Institute of Standards and Technol- Wladkowski means putting up with in chemistry. Indeed, Wladkowski did not enter WMC with his mind Smith remembers an occasion when he and set on being a chemistry major. He says that he "vaguely found chem- Wladkowski were studying some books in istry interesting in high school." the library and he looked up from an Today, Wladkowski feels there The new chemistry professor, Brian Wladkowski, above, returns to Western Maryland Col/ge, his alma mater, to teach. are two types of science majors: exciting discovery to find his assistant doctorate at Stanford University, and he graduated/rom He earned his WMC in 1988. Those who know that they want to more interested in the attractive girl study science and those who end up as science majors, such as him- working in the library. figured out who J am here, but I He is also interested in teaching a self. am less worried now because I am geology course and a course in fo- Wladkowski says he lik€1d to .( ". going to do the best job I can." think of himself as "Mr. Diversity":" ogy (NIST) in Gaithersburg, Md-:-- smart comments. Wladkowski feels that he can rensic studies and has become World in- volved with the college's because he. to·ok;'w-many different He found that this job allowed him Herlocker thinks that relate to students now since it hasn't Wide Web page. courses so he could find out what to expand his interest in physical Wladkowski has adjusted well to been so long since he was in their Wladkowski feels that to at- he liked and what he was good at. ..