McNeese State University graduate student J. Craig Moss, of Sulphur, prepares some samples of crawfish to run through some tests on the high-pressure liquid chromatograph for the detection of organic substances. Moss, who is a chemistry teacher at Sulphur High School, has been attending McNeese on a graduate level fellowship in environmental and chemical sciences funded by the Louisiana Board of Regents Support Fund. McNeese Photo

Sulphur High School students returning to classes in August will notice that chemistry teacher J. Craig Moss is back with a bounce in his step. Moss, a chemistry teacher at Sulphur High since 2001, has been sharpening his chemistry skills while on sabbatical at McNeese State University to work on his master's degree in chemistry with the help of graduate level fellowship in environmental and chemical sciences for certified Louisiana high school teachers.

Moss was awarded a $21,500 fellowship for the 2007-2008 academic year by the McNeese department of chemistry from the Board of Regents Support Fund. He will conclude his fellowship next summer and receive his master¹s degree in December 2009.

A 1988 Sulphur High graduate, Moss received his bachelor's degree in general business from McNeese in 1992. He had several jobs after graduation, but he decided he wanted to teach, and with the support of his wife, Beth, who is a social studies teacher at Vinton Middle School and also a McNeese education graduate, he returned to McNeese to take 50-60 hours of math, chemistry and education courses to become certified to teach chemistry.

He finished certification in 1999 and began his career as a teacher at South Cameron High School. "It took me two years to obtain my certification," said Moss. "I was teaching classes at South Cameron, taking classes and labs in organic chemistry at McNeese, while my wife was pregnant with twins. It was crazy there for a while."

He was inspired to become an educator by his high school chemistry teacher, Andrew Andreyk. "Mr. Andreyk was a hard teacher - one who challenged us in the classroom," said Moss. "He was hard, but fair. He believed in hands-on instruction and I have followed that philosophy in my classroom."

Moss found out about the McNeese fellowship through a co-worker at Sulphur High. It just so happened that the coordinator of the fellowship was one of his former professors at McNeese when he returned to get certified to teac - Dr. Joseph Sneddon, professor of chemistry. "Dr. Sneddon answered my questions and explained what it would take to get a master's degree in environmental science and chemistry," said Moss. "I left there that day with the desire to do this."

Sneddon said there is a need for better-qualified science teachers in Louisiana. "Our hope was that area teachers like Craig would take advantage of this opportunity being offered here at McNeese with the support of the Board of Regents."

Moss said it's been a challenge for him to be back in the classroom as a student. "Intense is more like it," he said with a smile.

He has also welcomed the opportunity to conduct research. His research has centered on the possibilities of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) being in the crawfish consumed here in Southwest Louisiana, specifically anthracene and pyrene‹organic compounds produced by energy generating industries.

"Research literature has linked PAHs to cancer and Southwest Louisiana has a history of producing PAHs," Moss said. "PAHs are airborne and can fall into sediments of crawfish ponds.

I am using a high pressure liquid chromatograph that can detect if any of these organic compounds are in the fat of crawfish."

He also has enjoyed participating in the area high school outreach program that the chemistry department sponsors. "Students and professors visit several local high school chemistry departments to talk about the McNeese chemistry department, especially the forensics chemistry concentration, and career possibilities. We also had a forensics lab activity for them to complete."

Moss returns to Sulphur High this fall more enthused than ever to be back in the classroom. "I will have a better knowledge of inorganic chemistry, analytical research and current instrumentation needs for high school chemistry labs," he said.

Moss added he could not have returned to McNeese if not for the fellowship's stipend that he received while working on his master's degree. "I'm a dad with four children to support - Erin and Emily, 9, Elizabeth, 6, and Ethan, 4. The fellowship made this possible."

McNeese has received two additional graduate fellowships for the 2009-2010 academic year. One has been awarded, but Sneddon said the department is currently taking applications for the second fellowship. For more information, contact Sneddon at (337) 475-5776 or by e-mail at jsneddon@mcneese.edu.