Tinh-Alfredo V. Khuong, Ph.D.
Professor of Chemistry and Chair of Physical Sciences

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Office: 332A
OH: TuTh 4:30-5:20 p.m., W 11-11:50 a.m., and by appointment

Southwestern College
School of Mathematics, Science, and Engineering
900 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista, CA 91910
E-mail: tkhuong@swccd.edu
Phone: (619) 421-6700 ext. 5731
Fax: (619) 482-6503

Scientific Experience:

The elder of two sons born to a Vietnamese immigrant and a first generation Latina, Tinh-Alfredo was born in Baldwin Park, Ca. on November 3rd, 1975. His family moved to Vista, Ca. in 1982 where he discovered an interest in the sciences while attending Vista High School. The summer after graduating from VHS, he got his first taste of research working at UCSD with Emeritus Professor of Biology Melvin H. Green on the effects of Cetavlon on various strains of E. coli. After beginning his undergraduate career majoring in biophysics, he obtained a B.S. degree in biochemistry from UCSD while studying asymmetric oxidations in the labs of Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, Professor K. Barry Sharpless at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla. Subsequently, he spent a year at Medinox, Inc. working as a synthetic and process chemist involved in the research and development of drugs for possible use in nitric oxide neutralization therapy before going on to UCLA in pursuit of an M.S. (2001) and eventual Ph.D. (2006) from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Some representations relating to aspects of his graduate research on crystalline molecular machines can be found on the group webpage of Professor Miguel A. Garcia-Garibay.

Teaching Experience:

As a child, he loved to teach friends and strangers alike anything from classwork and martial arts to blow-torching fire ants with cigarette lighters and aerosol cans. In college, he continued to teach martial arts to all comers on the intramural field next to the Muir College dormitories, among other places at UCSD. (He lived in Tenaya Hall and Tuolumne Apartments.) In addition to martial arts, he tutored students in high school and college level mathematics, physics, and chemistry. During his time at UCLA he served as teaching assistant or head teaching assistant for a number of general organic chemistry classes. After teaching a semester at Santa Monica College, he joined the faculty at Southwestern College in Chula Vista in the Fall of 2004.

Teaching Philosophy:

Chemistry is a demanding field and one that requires both a broad knowledge base and a deep understanding. As such, it requires that chemists be disciplined; constantly keeping abreast of the advances occurring around them while being thorough and precise in their own work. Students pursuing degrees in chemistry-related fields must then be trained to survive in an environment where this is considered normal. I believe that with the right encouragement and support, motivated and talented students from any cultural and socio-economic background can be brought up to those standards by challenging them incrementally in the two years while they attend Southwestern College, eventually achieving a high degree of well-placed confidence, responsibility, discipline and skill.

Research Interests:

His research interests include the development of novel organic materials within the context of nanoscience.

Personal Interests:

Outside of academics, Tinh-Alfredo participates in and conducts wine tastings and wine appreciation seminars, enjoys singing, hiking, biking, beach sports, traveling, cooking, and training in various martial arts.