Richard E. Barrans, Jr.

Born and raised near Baltimore, Maryland, Rich graduated with a B.A. degree 
in Natural Science from the Johns Hopkins University in 1985. He then did 
graduate work at the California institute of Technology, where he used organic 
synthesis, physical analysis, and statistical techniques to study the pairing-up 
of oily molecules in water. He received his Ph.D. degree in chemistry from Caltech 
in 1992. Until February 2000, he worked in the Department of Energy Laboratory 
system to develop ways to clean up radioactive and chemical wastes. He then worked 
for PG Research Foundation in Darien, Illinois.  In 2004, he received a Master of 
Education degree from John Carroll University.  He has been teaching in the Department 
of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Wyoming since 2005.  
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