Faculty Profile for Duke W Willoughby

Biography Section

Biography and Education

I received a B.S in chemistry from Texas Lutheran College and a M.S. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Utah where I worked on arene trapping of oxyally zwitterions. I also received a Master of Public Health with an emphasis in Health Service Administration from the University of Utah. I worked as a technical supervisor for ARUP Laboratories for 4 years where I also did research developing diagnostic tests for PSA, using techniques in ELISA, gel electrophoresis, cell culture and monoclonal antibody isolation. I then worked as a lab manager at SCIREX Corporation followed by Project Manager for PPD Development on Phase 1 studies of fluoxetine and aripiprazole. From there I became a teacher at Austin High School where I taught all levels of chemistry and physics for 20 years and was Science Department Chair for 4 years. I was also an Adjunct Professor at Austin Community College for 10 years where I taught Introductory Chemistry, General Chemistry, and Organic Chemistry. I have been a chemistry instructor at Texas State University since Fall 2021. This gives me over 20 years of experience in several levels of science education.

Teaching Interests

​My ​main interest as ​an instructor ​is to improve student success by increasing the STEM Communities Learning Assistant Program to include CHEM 1341, CHEM 1342 and CHEM 1335. I have been involved as Team Leader for Chemistry in the LA program ​since ​Summer 2022 and feel that ​the program provides the most benefit for ​my chemistry students as well as the ​learning assistants.