“Expect the Unexpected” is one of the biggest things we can implement into our own lives after we hear Dr. Green’s story. Recently, we had the opportunity to interview Dr. Dominik Green, PhD, professor of Chemistry at Folsom Lake College. Dr. Green’s passion for STEM runs deep, and his ambition to pursue his education at higher levels is reflective of his dedication to the STEM field. As a professor at FLC, Dr. Green prioritizes interaction and connection with students while teaching chemistry. It’s what he enjoys most about his job, along with being able to expand upon his passion for chemistry. Though Dr. Green had no initial plans to become a teacher, through mentoring other students in graduate school he was able to discover an interest in teaching. Just like the adaptive and constantly changing nature of STEM, Dr. Green’s career was never a straight line–he explored a variety of STEM-based jobs, such as wine chemistry, throughout his education before deciding to teach as a professor.
Dr. Green’s inspiration for STEM flourished quite early, and his interest was piqued when he was introduced to DNA as a 7th grader. As a student who was always interested in math, adored aerospace engineering, and found himself absorbed in biology; you could describe a young Dr. Green as a STEM extraordinaire of sorts. Eventually, his path led him to major in biochemistry in college. After completing his undergraduate degree at UC Davis, Dr. Green was at a difficult crossroads. As anyone would expect, the path to obtaining a PhD is no easy academic feat. In addition to the sheer difficulty, the process leading up to the culmination of his education was also complicated for Dr. Green. Since the job market was stagnant, he worked as a wine chemist for a year. Afterwards, he decided to go to graduate school at UC Davis, where he pursued his love for biochemistry. He was also able to assist in teaching a biochemistry class, where he began to like teaching for the first time. Ultimately, his diligence earned him his PhD, and in 2011, he graduated.
Although he is now a distinguished professor at Folsom Lake College, earlier in his life, Dr. Green never wanted to be a teacher. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to be, but the only thing he was sure of at the time was that he wanted to do something that would help him overcome his anxiety. He became a TA and gave presentations, and that was another “aha” moment where he realized that teaching was fun. That's when he knew that this was his calling because alongside everything else, he loved teaching and helping students reach their goals.
Even though Dr. Green was able to reach heights on his own, there were times that he wished that he had people who could help guide him through his career. For this reason, he wishes that someone had told him to find a mentor, because they have been through the process and can provide guidance. When he switched majors he had no one to direct him through the process, and felt lost. He wishes that someone told him that when going into STEM and teaching, you need patience and the ability to adapt to change and that community college doesn’t mean that you’re not good enough to go to a four year class. The smaller class size leads to better personalized attention, which could mean that when you transfer you would be at the top of your class.
Dr. Green believes that your experience in school should be some of the best times of your life. You make lifelong friends, and you should make sure to enjoy the experience, because studying isn’t everything, and having a balance and a creative outlet is vital for success.