Teaching
Chemistry and Materials Science
Education is Dr. Rocha's primary professional vocation. He received training as a Secondary Education teacher and worked in High School science and mathematics classrooms and outreach programs for ~15 years before moving into Higher Education. While at RIT, Rocha has developed directly three(3) full Chemistry courses for our BS and MS majors programs, as well as co-developed the entry-level laboratory course for BS Chem and Biochem majors. Most recently Dr. Rocha became the primary lead for the Materials Science & Engineering graduate program experimental methods course.
Current Courses
Chemistry Workshop CHEM-155
Initial offering Fall 2015. Single-semester intense introductory undergraduate Chemistry lab for ALL BS Chem/Biochem majors. Includes direct lab exposure to electrochemistry, thermodynamics, spectroscopy, and acid/base chemistry. Adopted textbook: NOT APPLICABLE.
Computational Chemistry CHMP-753
Initial offering Fall 2013 semester as a graduate course (School of Chemistry & Materials Science) and open to advanced undergraduates, and others with interests and sufficient background in quantum chemistry, including mathematics and physics majors, MS students in materials science & engineering, and PhD students in microsystems engineering.
Adopted textbooks:
Schrier - Introduction to Computational Physical Chemistry, (University Science Books).
Foresman & Frisch - Exploring Chemistry with Electronic Structure Methods, 3rd Ed. (Prentice-Hall).
Optional text: Leach - Molecular Modelling: Principles and Applications, 2nd Ed. (Prentice-Hall).
Experimental Techniques MTSE-705
Took over in Spring 2018. Introductory graduate course in Materials Science & Engineering curriculum to cover experimental techniques fundamentals and methods development/design. Significant portion of course focused on thorough programming fundamentals using LabVIEW for instrumentation control, monitoring, and data analysis. Provide background discussions of spectroscopies (optical & x-ray) - absorption, fluorescence, vibrational with Raman, as well as rheology, electron and atomic force microscopies.
Adopted textbook:
Essick - Hands-on Introduction to LabVIEW for Scientists & Engineers, 4th Ed. (Oxford).
Past Courses
Physical Chemistry II CHMP-442
Initial offering Spring 2013. Traditional undergraduate Chemistry course to include introduction and breadth of applications of quantum mechanics and spectroscopy to chemical problems.
Adopted textbook: McQuarrie - Quantum Chemistry, 2nd Ed. (Univ Sci Books).
Recommended text: Schrier - Introduction to Computational Physical Chemistry (USB).
Chemistry of Materials Lab CHMG-123
The course addresses three fundamental concepts of general chemistry by covering three aspects of all chemical reactions: kinetics, equilibrium and thermodynamics which includes acid/base and oxidation/reductions. The chemistry of metals, ceramics and synthetic polymers are covered, including electrochemistry and a brief overview of organic chemistry.
Gen & Analytical Chemistry Recitation CHMG-141
This is a general chemistry course for students in the life and physical sciences that includes an individual class session dedicated to problems/exercises. College chemistry is presented as a science based on empirical evidence that is placed into the context of conceptual, visual, and mathematical models. Students learn the concepts, symbolism, and fundamental tools of chemistry necessary to carry on a discourse in the language of chemistry.
Discontinued Courses
Chemistry Connections Lab CHEM-130: (DISCONTINUED) Transitionary course co-taught with Dr. Eddingsaas in Fall 2014 immediately following the semester conversion process. We developed the current full semester course: Chemistry Workshop CHEM-155.
Quantum Chemistry 1014-442: (DISCONTINUED) Previously taught Winter Quarter 2012-2013 under RIT's quarter system. Adopted textbook: Silbey, Alberty, Bawendi - Physical Chemistry, 4th Ed. (Wiley). This course was revamped and expanded by Rocha into the full semester course: Physical Chemistry II CHMP-442.
Chemical Kinetics Lab 1014-447: (DISCONTINUED) Previously taught Spring Quarter 2012-2013 under RIT's quarter system. This course material is now incorporated into a writing intensive, single semester course: Adv. Physical Chemistry Laboratory CHMP-447.