Dr. David Gallaher has spent 25 years at 麻豆精品 helping students make sense of a subject that many find intimidating at first. As Chemistry program director, he has taught generations of students, guiding them through complex concepts and, more importantly, helping them discover that chemistry is something they can understand.
鈥淐hemistry is everywhere and everything,鈥� he says.
Over time, Dr. Gallaher has come to see teaching as more than delivering information. He strives to reach the point of discovery where an idea just clicks. 鈥淲hat keeps me here is the opportunity to work with students every day and see those moments where something clicks for them,鈥� he says. 鈥淚n science we call that the 鈥榓ha鈥� moment.鈥�
Those moments have shaped his career just as much as the science itself. What began as a traditional approach to teaching evolved into something more student-centered, influenced by the community at Carlow and the individual needs of the students in his classroom. Now, as Dr. Gallaher prepares to be recognized at Carlow鈥檚 Celebration of Service for his 25 years with the University, we sat down with him to reflect on a career built on discovery, curiosity, and connection.
What first drew you to chemistry?
What drew me to chemistry was really my own experiences in school. I had always been interested in science. I had chemistry sets, erector sets. That was what I did growing up, so I had a natural curiosity about it.
But what really sparked the idea that I could do this as a career was my high school teacher, Brother Eric Henderson at Seton LaSalle. He had a very inclusive approach: Everybody could do it. Chemistry is all around us. It鈥檚 everywhere and everything. The way he presented it made me curious about the possibilities. He was very supportive of his students, included us in different activities, and just showed us what was possible. That鈥檚 what made me think about chemistry as something I could pursue.
What brought you to Carlow?
I鈥檓 a Pittsburgh native. I鈥檝e done all my schooling and professional development here. When I was an undergraduate at Pitt, I would ride the bus every day and go past Carlow, so I always knew about it.
I鈥檓 also Catholic by faith tradition, and I鈥檓 a product of Catholic education. I went to Catholic grade school, Catholic high school, and Duquesne for my graduate work. So it was important for me to stay in that system, and Carlow being an institution of Catholic higher education was definitely a deciding factor. The values were a big part of that decision. In some ways, they鈥檙e subtle, but they鈥檙e infused in everything we do. The way we speak to each other, the way we think about problems. It鈥檚 more of a continuous underpinning than something that鈥檚 always explicitly stated.
How do you approach teaching chemistry, and how has that evolved over time?
When I first started, I had just come from a doctorate and a postdoc at a research-heavy institution. I always had a passion for teaching, but I came in with a certain mindset. I thought I needed to be the content expert, the sage on the stage. I learned pretty quickly that鈥檚 not what students are looking for. They want a leader, a guide, someone who can walk them through the material and help them understand it from different perspectives.
Carlow really helped me learn how to teach. Because of the diversity of the students and their different experiences, I had to adjust how I presented things. That made me a much better teacher over time.
A lot of students come in saying they don鈥檛 like chemistry, or that they struggled with it before. When you talk with them, it鈥檚 usually not the discipline itself. It鈥檚 how it was taught. So I try to meet students where they are. Chemistry builds on itself, so it鈥檚 important to make sure they feel confident with the fundamentals before moving forward. Every student is an individual, and you have to present the material in a way that speaks to them.
How do you see Carlow鈥檚 mission reflected in your work?
It starts with recognizing that every student is an individual, and that every person has the dignity of human existence. Everybody is deserving of mercy. It’s about remembering that every individual creation is an example of the respect and dignity of creation. That shapes how I interact with students and how I approach teaching. It鈥檚 about respect for the individual and making sure that everyone has the opportunity to learn.
I also think the sciences play a role in that broader mission. Scientific exploration is one way to get at truth. By applying the scientific method and problem-solving, we can arrive at truth, and that鈥檚 one way to connect to that idea of building a more just and merciful world.
What impact have you seen your students have beyond the classroom?
We鈥檙e really fortunate to be in Pittsburgh because it鈥檚 such a hub for science and technology.聽Our students go on聽to do聽a lot of different things in the region.聽We鈥檝e聽had graduates work for the state police, processing evidence that has helped close cold cases and bring justice to victims.聽We鈥檝e聽had students working with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority, doing聽the chemical聽testing that ensures people have clean drinking water.聽So聽the impact聽isn鈥檛聽always visible or well known, but聽it鈥檚聽far-reaching and foundational. Our students are contributing in ways that really matter to the community.聽
What has kept you at Carlow for 25 years?
I felt like I fit in almost immediately. Of course I was nervous when I started, but I love chemistry and I love teaching it. The community here, the faculty, the staff, and especially the students, made it feel like the right place. Over time, you realize this kind of work is not a sprint. It鈥檚 a journey. You have to pace yourself and think about it long term.
What keeps me here is the opportunity to work with students every day and see those moments where something clicks for them. In science we call that the 鈥渁ha鈥� moment. Seeing a student struggle with a concept and then finally understand it, that never gets old.