ProfInformation


Professional Information Dr. Ray A. Gross, Jr.

Department of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Prince George's Community College, 301 Largo Road, Largo, MD 20774

email rgross@pgcc.edu

phone 301-322-0435

Academic Interests

· Qualitative Organic Analysis at the Undergraduate Level

· Assessment Techniques for Sophomore Organic Chemistry

· Fundamentals of Structure and Bonding

Contributions in Qualitative Organic Analysis

· A method for determining the number of triple bonds, double bonds, and rings in a hydrocarbon as well as the number of rings cleaved by ozonation followed by a reductive workup.

· An equation that relates the number of p bonds and rings in an organic compound to the number of carbon, hydrogen and heteroatoms in the formula of the compound.

· A unit-sample equation for finding the number of bromine and chlorine atoms in the formula of a polybromo and polychloro organic compound from the molecular-ion abundances in a mass spectrum.

· A chlorine rule for finding the number of chlorine atoms in compounds that contain C, H, O, N, S, and Si atoms in addition to n Cl and m Br atoms from low-resolution mass spectra of the compounds.

· A method for factoring numeric isotope patterns such as 27:81:80:46:11:1.

· A method for fractionating unit samples of Br and Cl containing compounds into sets of unique and non-unique molecular populations.

· An improved method for finding the number of sulfur atoms in an unknown by low-resolution mass spectrometry.

· An automated isotope-pattern analyzer for finding the Br, Cl, S stoichiometry by low-resolution mass spectrometry.

Contributions in Assessment

· A method for the simultaneous assessment of cognitive and content domains.

· One-reaction structure determinations for enhancing students' cognitive skills.

· Development of the use of anathons as a tool to create and assist in the solution of problems.

Contributions in Forensic Chemistry

· A sophomore-level instrumental analysis course and lab manual.

Twenty Years Teaching Experience

Prior to coming to Prince George’s Community College, Dr. Gross was a teaching assistant at the University of Tulsa and at the University of Oklahoma; he also served as an adjunct professor at Northern Virginia Community College-Annandale, Montgomery College (Germantown and Takoma Park Campuses), and Georgetown University. He served for three years while on active duty in the US Army as an instructor and assistant professor of chemistry at the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. Dr. Gross joined the faculty of PGCC as an associate professor in 1998 and was promoted to professor in June 2003. He is included in the 9th (2004-2005) and 10th (2005-2006) editions of "Who's Who Among America's College Teachers" and was also selected for "Who's Who in Collegiate Faculty 2006-2007."

Scholarly Activities

· Publications

	Gross, R.A., Jr. Chem. Educator, [Online] 2009 14(3), 115-117; DOI 10.1333/s00897092207a, "An Excel Spreadsheet for Predicting the Geometries of Chemical Species."
	Gross, R.A., Jr. Chem. Educator, [Online] 2008 13(5), 284-286; DOI 10.1333/s0089708215a, "Derivation and Use of a Total-Bonds Equation."
	Gross, R. A. Jr J. Chem Educ., 2007 84, 987-991, "A Method for Analyzing A + 2 Isotope Patterns for Use in Undergraduate Organic Courses" with Supplementary Material Online.
	Gross, R.A., Jr. Chem. Educator, [Online] 2006 11(6), 372-377; DOI 10.1333/s00897061083a, “Improving Reasoning Skills in Organic Students Using Degradation Problems" with Supporting Materials Online.
	Gross, R.A., Jr. J. Chem. Educ., 2006 83, 604-609, "Ozonolysis Problems that Promote Student Reasoning" with Supplementary Material Online.
	Gross, R.A., Jr. J. Chem. Educ., 2004 81, 1161-1168, "A Mass Spectral Chlorine Rule for Use in Structure Determinations in Sophomore Organic Chemistry."
	Gross, R.A., Jr. J. Chem. Educ., 2004, 81, 1161W, Supplementary Material Online "A Guided-Inquiry Exercise for Student Discovery of the Chlorine Rule and a Methodology for Use of the Rule in Structure Determinations."
	Gross, R.A., Jr. Chem. Educ. Journal (Japan), Vol. 7, No.2/Registration No. 7-20, March 5, 2004, "The Number of Chlorine Atoms in a Molecular Formula from the Fraction of Non-Unique Molecules in a Unit Sample."
	Gross, R.A., Jr. Chem. Educator, [Online] 2004 9(2), 62-66, "Factor Analysis of Numeric Isotope Patterns of Compounds Containing Small Numbers of Chlorine and Bromine Atoms."
	Gross, R.A., Jr. Chem. Educator, [Online] 2003 8(3), 182-186; DOI 10.1333/s00897030683a, “Two Equations for Analyzing the Mass Spectra of Compounds for Chlorine and Bromine Atoms."
	Gross, R.A., Jr. Chem. Educator, [Online] 2003 8(1), 13-14; DOI 10.1333/s00897030646a, “An Equation for Degrees of Unsaturation."
	Gross, R.A., Jr. J. Chem. Educ. 1996 73, 1019-1021, “An Analysis of Ozonolysis for Classroom Instruction."

Presentations

Student-Faculty Research Presentations

Articles

Student Activities