William Simmons

Laboratory Services Coordinator & Research Safety Officer
Specialty: Laboratory Chemistry
Phone: 507-258-8423
Fax: 507-258-8066
Email: simm0072@umn.edu

Education

B.A., German Literature, Culture, & Society, University of Minnesota, 2004
Scheine, German Area Studies,
Humboldt University of Berlin, 2004
B.A., American Indian Studies, University of Minnesota, 2005

Background

I completed my bachelor of arts in German literature, culture, and society in 2004 following a sabbatical at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany. On returning from Germany, I continued with my position of Senior Laboratory Technician at the University of Minnesota Chemistry Department in the Twin Cities while concurrently completing my Social Science studies with another Bachelor of Arts in American Indian studies in 2005. After over a decade of working in various fields such as cellular biology & neuroanatomy, epidemiology, ophthalmology, surgery, and chemistry, I decided to couple my social science education with my acquired scientific technique by pursuing a career in nursing. However, the undeniable draw to laboratory chemistry and collaborative student interaction brought my attention back to the University of Minnesota in Rochester.

Laboratory Science & Teaching

The culmination of my experiences has led me to understand that as society has integrated the necessity for higher education as a means for procuring a decent career, many institutions of higher learning have compartmentalized learning to such an unfathomable height that a student cannot hope to transfer their acquired knowledge to the workplace or society in general. It is my hope that with the exceptional faculty at the University of Minnesota Rochester we will be able to mutually discover the fascination and excitement inherent in such an innovative program. I feel truly humbled and fortunate to be assisting students and faculty to these ends.

Honors & Awards

IT Certificate of Recognition 2005, University of Minnesota

IT Student Leadership Award 2006, University of Minnesota

District Counselor Citation 2008, Alpha Chi Sigma