Tuesday

  • 1:00 PM - 1:30 PMBech Hall TBASanta Rosa Campus

Thursday

  • 1:00 PM - 1:30 PMBech Hall TBASanta Rosa Campus
  • 9:00 AM - 10:20 AMBech Hall TBASanta Rosa Campus

Spring 2021

Section 5671 of CHEM12B
Organic Chemistry -- : Jan 21 - May 20 2021
This section involves regularly scheduled, mandatory live meetings at the times listed above. 6-10 labs will be held on campus, and the remainder will take place online. The dates of lab meetings that take place on campus will depend on the public health situation. For labs that are meeting on campus, the lab lecture that week will be conducted asynchronously to allow for transit time. Social distancing and adherence to safe health protocols will be required for participants.

Fall 2020

Section 0704 of CHEM3A
General Chemistry Part 1: Lecture -- : Aug 18 - Dec 10 2020
CHEM 3A is the lecture portion of the first semester general chemistry (formerly CHEM 1A). CHEM 3A and CHEM 3AL are corequisites. A student needs to sign up for one section of CHEM 3A AND one section of CHEM 3AL.

Section 0794 of CHEM3AL
General Chemistry Part 1: Lab -- : Aug 20 - Dec 10 2020
FIVE labs will be held on campus, and the remainder will take place online. The dates of lab meetings that take place on campus will depend on the public health situation. For labs that are meeting on campus, the lab lecture that week will be conducted asynchronously to allow for transit time. CHEM 3AL is the lab portion of the first-semester general chemistry (formerly CHEM 1A). CHEM 3A and CHEM 3AL are corequisites. A student needs to sign up for one section of CHEM 3A and CHEM 3AL. Social distancing and adherence to safe health protocols will be required for participants.

Ph. D., Organic Chemistry, Northwestern University (Evanston, IL)

M.B.A., Management of Technology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (Worcester, MA)

B.S., Chemistry, Southern Illinois University (Carbondale, IL)

 

Academic Experience

 

Adjunct Faculty, Chemistry, Santa Rosa Junior College (Santa Rosa, CA) 2016 - present

Adjunct Faculty, Chemistry, Wichita State University (Wichita, KS), 2011 - 2015

Work and Consulting Experience

Director of Operations, Imprivata, Inc. (Lexington, MA)

Consultant, NEC Solutions America (Sacramento, CA)

Various positions with Polaroid Corporation (Cambridge, MA)

College Board AP Chemistry Exam Reader (2015 - 2020)

 

Professional Involvement and Community Service

Sierra Club, Life Member

The Planetary Society, Charter Member

Presentations and Publications
 
“Acidities of Benzyl Phenyl Sulfones and of the Corresponding Radical Cations,” F.G. Bordwell, Mark J. Bausch, John C. Branca and John A. Harrelson, Jr.  J. Phys. Org. Chem. (1988), 1(4), 225-239.
 
“Enhancement of the Equilibrium Acidities of Carbon Acids by Polyfluoroaryl Subsituents,”  F.G. Bordwell, John C. Branca, Joseph E. Bares and Robert Filler.  J. Org. Chem. (1988), 53(4), 780-782.
 
“Brønsted βNu Values and Leaving Group Effects in Sn2 Reactions.  Tests of the Reactivity–Selectivity Postulate,”  F.G. Bordwell, John C. Branca and Thomas A. Cripe.  Isr. J. Chem. (1985), 26(4), 357-366.
 
“Predicting the Long-Term, Dark-Keeping Image Stability of Polaroid Land Black and White Photographs,” John C. Branca and Robert W. Tulis.  Abstracts of the First International Symposium on the Stability and Preservation of Photographic Images.  (1982).  National Public Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
 
“Acidities of Sulfoximines and Related Oxosulfonium Cations.  Cyclopropyl Effects and Structures of α–Sulfonyl-type Carbanions,”  Frederick G. Bordwell, John C. Branca, Carl R. Johnson and Noel R. Vanier.  J. Org. Chem. (1980), 45(19), 3884-3889.
 
“Equilibriums Involving Organic Anions in Dimethyl Sulfoxide and N-methylpyrrolidin-2-one:  Acidities, Ion Pairing, and Hydrogen Bonding,”  Frederick G. Bordwell, John C. Branca, David L. Hughes and William N. Olmstead.  J. Org. Chem. (1980), 45(16), 3305-3313.
 
“The Effects of Structural Variation on Kinetic and Thermodynamic Anion Stability in Dimethyl Sulfoxide Solution:  Anchoring of the Absolute Acidity Scale, Hammett Studies on Benzyl Phenyl Sulfones, 3-Substituted Fluorenes and Arylmalononitriles,” John Charles Branca. Diss. Abstr. Int. B (1979), 40(6), 2671.
 
“Aryl Effects and Acidities of Ammonia, Toluene, and Methane in Dipolar Nonhydroxylic Solvents,” Donald Algrim, Joseph E. Bares, John C. Branca and F.G. Bordwell. J. Org. Chem. (1978), 43(26), 5024-5026.
 
“Rapid Reaction of Benzhydryl Sulfones with Carbon Tetrachloride–Potassium Hydroxide.  New Route to 1,1-Diarylalkenes,”  Cal Y. Meyers, Walter S. Matthews, Gregory J. McCollum and John C. Branca.  Tetrahedron Lett. (1974), (13), 1105-1108.
 
“Mechanism of the Direct formation of Alkenesulfonic Acids from the Reaction of Sulfones with Carbon Tetrachloride–Potassium Hydroxide.  Intermediacy of gem–α–dichloro Sulfones and Thiirene–1,1-dioxides,” Cal Y. Meyers, Laurence L. Ho, Gregory J. McCollum and John Branca.  Tetrahedron Lett. (1973), (21), 1843-1846.
 
Honors and Awards

 

US Patent 6,630,970.  Polarizers for use in liquid crystal displays (2003).

US Patent 6,122,079.  Chromatically-adjusted holographically illuminated image-providing display element (2000).