Science faculty & staff

Ted Johnson teaches Physics, Astronomy, and Meteorology as well as coordinates the Engineering program. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering, an MS in Science Education, 12 years of engineering experience, and several decades of teaching experience . He brings experience in solar building design, amateur radio work, computer applications, artificial intelligence and vision work, and engineering experience in meteorological weather balloons, piezoelectric transducer design and fabrication, resinate deposition based ceramic microcircuits, commercial radio transmitters and repeaters, antenna design, as well as business experience as an industrial process consultant and troubleshooter. He has taught courses in electronic circuit design, both analog and digital, most programming languages, robotics - motion and vision, several levels of physics - classical and modern, electrical wiring, astronomy, meteorology, and industrial electronic control systems. His work experience includes Raytheon, Sprague Electric, US Sonics Corp, General Electric, Mount Anthony Vocational Center, Vermont Dept of Labor and Industry, Berkshire Community College, Westfield State College, Community College of Vermont and Greenfield Community College. He can be reached at 775-1429 and at Johnson@gcc.mass.edu .

Dr. Lee Webster teaches CAD (Computer aided Drafting) since (semi)retiring from 23 years of full time teaching at GCC and coordinating the Engineering Department. He has a B.C.E. in Civil Engineering from the University of Delaware, an M.S.C.E. in Traffic Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in Traffic Engineering with a minor in Statistics & Urban Planning from the University of Illinois. Lee is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), and the Association of American Educators (AAE). He has 4 years engineering experience in transportation planning and traffic engineering for a private consulting company. He has been married for 41 years and has 2 adult children and 4 grand-daughters. He can be reached at 775-1427 and at Webster@gcc.mass.edu.

Professor Emeritus Richard Little taught geology and oceanography at GCC full time for 34 years before semi-retiring in 2004. He has published articles, written books and produced videos in the geoscience field, has taught many additional courses, workshops and presentations at other institutions, and runs his own geology tour business. Dick has a B.A. from Clark University and an M.A. from the University of Southern California. He is past President of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers, past Chairman of the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, and Vice President and past president of the Pioneer Valley Institute. He was inducted into the Massachusetts Science Educator Hall of Fame in May of 2004. He can be reached at rdlittle2000@aol.com.

After serving four years in the United States Navy, Ron Smith returned to Greenfield to complete an Associate’s Degree of Environmental Science at GCC in 1974. Following graduation he worked as a field technician for Texas Instruments and then moved on to become the Technical Assistant for the Science Department at GCC in 1975. His job responsibilities include set up and preparation for all science labs as well as assisting in the day to day operations of the science department. Ron developed and was the first director of the GCC fish project in 1995. He can be reached at 775-1453 and at smith@gcc.mass.edu

Beth Erviti teaches anatomy and physiology, nutrition and pathology when she is not out riding her horse Sunny or walking her dog Pepper. Beth loves a good joke almost as much as teaching human biology. She got her undergraduate degree at the University of California at Santa Cruz in physiology amidst the redwoods and Monterey Bay, and her graduate degree at the University of Massachusetts in exercise physiology. Beth can be reached at 775-1450 and at Erviti@gcc.mass.edu.

Mary Ellen Fydenkevez teaches microbiology, chemistry and nutrition and serves on practically every committee in the college. Mary Ellen’s extensive classroom teaching experience is augmented by her years as a wastewater treatment plant laboratory technician as well as a research laboratory manager. She graduated from U Mass with an undergraduate degree in animal science and a graduate degree in animal nutrition (humans are animals!!!!) She can be reached at 775-1469 and Fydenkevez@gcc.mass.eduFydenkevez@gcc.mass.edu

Carrine Seeve graduated from the University of California receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in biology and received her medical degree from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. She did postdoctoral training in pathology at McGill University and the University of California and is Board certified by the American Board of Pathology. She worked as a staff pathologist for 20 years before starting teaching at GCC in 2000. Currently she teaches A/P, pathophysiology, nutrition and pathology. She can be reached at 413-7751467 and at seeve@gcc.mass.edu.

Brian Adams teaches Introduction to Environmental Science, Natural History and Freshwater Ecology. He is also the Chair of the Science Department and the Program Coordinator for the Environmental Studies/Natural Resources option. As GCC Fish Project Director he coordinates the anadromous fish population study work on the Connecticut River and hires numerous GCC students for seasonal work. He has a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Human Ecology from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York and a Master’s in Environmental Biology from Antioch in Keene, New Hampshire. He can be reached at #413-775-1454 and at adams@gcc.mass.edu.

Over the course of his career Don Oberacker has taught genetics, zoology, botany, algebra, woodlot management, general biology, horticulture and nutrition at GCC. After being honorably discharged from the marines in 1952, he graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Management from Utah State University and then received a Master of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Maryland in 1958. He worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service performing research on marine fish populations before moving on to teaching general biology at the middle and high school level. While teaching at Greenfield Community College he wrote a textbook: How To Get More Value And Enjoyment From Your Woodlot. Don has been a Professor of Biology at GCC since 1964. He can be reached at 413-775-1452 and at Oberacker@gcc.mass.edu.

Teresa Jones graduated from Yale University in New Haven, CT, with a double degree in Environmental Studies and History. She received her master’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in Plant Biology. She has worked as a science reporter and co-authored a book on asthma. She began teaching at the high school level before coming to GCC in 1999. She currently teaches Ecology and Sustainable Energy courses. Teresa can be reached at (413) 775-1472 and at jones@gcc.mass.edu.

Joseph W. Mayo (MD/PhD) has a strong interest in teaching chemistry and biochemistry as they relate to the health sciences. He hope to generate and enhance student's interests in pursuing career opportunities in these areas. He received his B.S. from UMass, Amherst; PhD from Michigan State University; MD from Case Western Reserve University and Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Cystic Fibrosis Research Foundation in Cleveland. Joe is currently teaching Chemistry and Anatomy and Physiology.

Molly Hale has a M.S. in Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation for UMass, Amherst and a B.A. in Environmental Sciences at Hampshire College. Molly has her own business as a consulting wildlife biologist. She has given may nature walks on topics ranging from animal tracking and forest stewarship to vernal pool certification. Molly currently teahes Natural History and Ecology. Molly hopes that students begin to understand the natural world that we are all part of and get a taste of how amazing nature is.

Ruth Trimarchi is new to GCC as of the fall of 2008, and teaches General Biology. Following graduation from Vassar College with a B.A. in biology in 1978, Ruth worked in molecular biology labs in industry and higher education for ten years. After completing a MEd in science education at U.Mass in 1993 she taught in a large, racially and economically diverse, public high school for thirteen years. Ruth has published several articles with NSTA on the teaching of science, and has also written and marketed curriculum for teaching social class issues. Combining high academic expectations of her students with personalized encouragement and attention, Ruth strives to support each student in reaching her/his potential. Currently she and her husband David enjoy watching their two sons launch their own science careers. She can be reached at 775-1439 and trimarchir@gcc.mass.edu