David A. Vosburg Teaching

Teaching Interests

  • Organic chemistry
  • Organic synthesis
  • Green chemistry
  • Natural product biosynthesis
  • Bioorganic chemistry
  • Medicinal chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Science and faith/religion

Courses Taught

  • Writing 1 (Introduction to Academic Writing)
  • Chemistry 23A (Chemistry in the Modern World)
  • Chemistry 24 (Chemistry Laboratory)
  • Chemistry 56 (Organic Chemistry I)
  • Chemistry 58 (Organic Chemistry I Laboratory)
  • Chemistry 105 (Organic Chemistry II)
  • Chemistry 111 (Organic Chemistry II Laboratory)
  • Chemistry 151-152 (Senior Thesis Research)
  • Chemistry 171 (Advanced Organic Chemistry–Synthesis)
  • Chemistry/Biology 182 (Chemistry in Living Systems)
  • Chemistry/Biology 184 (Methods in Biochemistry)
  • Chemistry 197 (Special Readings in Chemistry–Biosynthesis)
  • Chemistry 199 (Chemistry Seminar)

Letters of Recommendation

I love to support my students as they seek new opportunities and adventures, and often these require letters of recommendation. If you would like to request a letter, please contact me as soon as possible so that we can discuss whether I am the best person to write your letter of support.

If I have agreed to write a recommendation for you, please follow the guidelines listed below. They are adapted from those developed by my colleagues Michael Orrison and Karl Haushalter and will help make the letter-writing process go smoothly.

Please send me an email (vosburg@hmc.edu) at least two weeks before the first deadline containing:

  • an unofficial PDF copy of your transcript,
  • a copy of your personal statement (if applicable),
  • a copy of your CV or résumé, and
  • responses to the following questions (the more detailed, the better):
  1. What is your name, year and major?
  2. For what are you applying? (scholarship, graduate school, etc.)
  3. List the programs to which you are applying, together with due dates and how I should submit letters (URL, email address, I should wait until I get an email from them, etc.).
  4. How long have I known you (years/months), and what is/are my relationship(s) to you (instructor, advisor, etc.)? Have you graded or tutored for me? If so, for what class(es) and when?
  5. For what class(es) have I had you, what final grade(s) did I assign you, and how did you distinguish yourself in my class(es)?
  6. How would you describe yourself?
  7. What are some of your academic accomplishments?
  8. What are some of your nonacademic accomplishments?
  9. What makes me particularly qualified to write a letter for you?
  10. What makes you particularly qualified for this position/honor/award?
  11. What are your long-term goals, and will this position/honor/award help? If so, how?
  12. Additional comments (research, interesting jobs, hobbies, etc.)?

If a hardcopy letter is required, please give me a folder with all necessary paperwork forms and addressed HMC Chemistry Department envelopes (see Kim Young) without stamps.

Please send me email reminders as deadlines approach, and feel free to chat with me about other ways you can make the letter writing process go as smoothly as possible for you and your letter writers. Good luck!

David Vosburg, Professor of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College.