Musings of an Old Chemist

A Chemist's Perspective on the Habits and Skills STEM Students Need For Success

Category: XII. Personal Skills

  • Translative Communication Skills: Using Simple Analogies for Complex STEM Ideas

    Translative Communication Skills: Using Simple Analogies for Complex STEM Ideas

    If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.

    – Albert Einstein

    Being able to “translate” complex ideas, “translative communication”, is the secret superpower in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields. Some students think using huge, confusing words makes them look smart. But the really smart thing is being able to take a tough idea and make it so simple that anyone can understand it. That’s how you show you truly get it: by providing an “Aha” moment for your audience.

    Try this out: explain the twisted-ladder structure of DNA and how it uses the base pairs: adenine/thymine, and guanine/cytosine to an 8-year-old. Use an analogy to show how DNA serves as a set of instructions for building every living thing.

    The “Feynman Technique”

    Richard Feynman (May 11, 1918 – February 15, 1988) was an American theoretical physicist, a contemporary of Albert Einstein, best known for his work on nanotechnology and Quantum Electrodynamics (QED), the latter of which I will discuss in detail, along with its analogy to personal, in a later post.

    Feynman is also famous for the strategy, the “Feynman Technique”, in which he believed that if you can’t explain a complex idea to a 6-year-old, you don’t actually understand it yet; you’ve just memorized a bunch of fancy words. It was a technique that he truly mastered, as evidenced by his “The Feynman Lectures on Physics” (1961 – 1964), of which I own the original cassette version. Yes, I’m old enough to remember and own a Sony “Walkman”.

    An application of the Feynman Technique can be illustrated with my original question: Can you describe the structure and function of DNA to an eight-year-old?  When we use large, technical terms to describe a scientific principle, such as the structure and role of DNA in a cell’s reproductive cycle, we often lose our audience. To resolve those issues, we select an analogy. When describing DNA, we may use a Lego block analogy to describe its double-helix structure and associated base pairs, and to illustrate how it serves as the set of instructions for cellular reproduction. 

    The Analogy Toolkit

    To be an expert using analogies as a function of “translative communication”, there are three essential steps:

    Step One: Find a simple, everyday thing to use as an analogy for a complicated system. Be creative, think outside the box during this process.

    The formula for choosing a great analogy?: Your Target Science or Math Concept + Familiar Everyday Object or Idea = Understanding.

    For example, electricity is like water flowing through pipes; a computer’s hard drive is like a filing cabinet; and its RAM is like the surface of your desk that you clean off when you change classes or leave for the day.

    Step Two: Check Your Wording (Verbage). 

    Find the “science or math-only” words that can sound confusing (like “osmosis” or “coefficient”) and swap them for simpler words everyone uses. Your presentation, your explanation, the words you choose, should exhibit your deep understanding of the material, not simply rote memorization.

    Step Three: Always be sensitive to and aware of your audience and their level of understanding. 

    Constantly ask yourself, “What does my listener already know, and what will confuse them?” You don’t want to use words and concepts that are too complex, and you don’t want to offend your audience by being overly simplistic.

    Why This Is Your “STEM Superpower”

    There are three primary reasons why mastering this concept of “translative communication” is a key to your success.

    1. When working together with other students, you’ll be the person everyone wants in their lab group because you make things clear.
    2. When assuming a leadership role, leaders communicate a vision, not just do the math.
    3. When you start your career, whether you become a chemist, an engineer, or a social media “influencer”, your success depends on people understanding your ideas.

    The “Grandparent Test” 

    Consider the following assignment: take a tricky science or math topic you learned in school – maybe it’s how photosynthesis works or the secret to solving algebraic equations – and explain it to a family member who isn’t in your class. This is called the “Grandparent Test” (but you can explain it to anyone, like an aunt, uncle, or your parents). The goal is to make it so clear and simple that they say, “Wow, I finally get it!” If you can achieve that “Aha!” moment for them, it proves you haven’t just memorized the facts; you actually understand the concept well enough to be extremely successful, no matter which field you choose as a career. Remember: the best scientists aren’t just experts; they’re amazing storytellers who can share their knowledge with the world.

  • Attention to Detail: The Trap of “Skating By”

    Attention to Detail: The Trap of “Skating By”

    Introduction

    Attention to detail is not only a skill, but a mindset. It requires taking ownership of the quality of your work, regardless of the setting. I am convinced it is a critical component of our success not only in our careers but also in our personal lives and in how others perceive us.

    Understanding the distinction between a skill and a mindset is vital. When attention to detail is just a skill, it feels like a chore – something to be “applied” to a task. You may often believe that “attention to detail” is an extra tax on your time. When it becomes a mindset, it becomes a matter of personal integrity. You frame it as a long-term time-saver. 

    For example, in a chemistry lab, missing a detail such as a misplaced decimal or a contaminated beaker doesn’t just mean a lower grade; it means the entire experiment must be scrapped.

    The Trap of Skating By

    Let’s define the term “Skating By.” as relying on our perceived intelligence to mask a lack of discipline. How does a mindset of just “skating by” compare to an “attention to detail” mindset?  I can illustrate the comparison using the following table, contrasting the two mindsets:

    FeatureThe “Skating By” MindsetThe “Attention to Detail” Mindset
    Your Primary GoalJust get it done.Quality work – getting it right the first time.
    Your Viewpoint On ErrorsSomething to hide or ignore.Simply datapoints for improvement.
    How You Perceive FeedbackA “hit” to your self-esteem.Necessary calibration for self-improvement.
    Your View of Time ManagementProcrastinate until the last minute.Consistent and methodical pacing of work efforts.

    If I am honest, I must admit that as a child, and as a student up through my sophomore year at college, I always took the easy way out – just focusing on getting a task done most easily and quickly, not really concerning myself with the absolute quality of my work. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I relied on my intelligence to get by, and in many instances I did, which only reinforced my bad habits.

    The Early Years

    When we are young, our parents need to encourage us, set expectations to be met, and set the example to be followed. That includes the accuracy in how we do our assigned chores. The state of our rooms, for example. This requires us to take the time and effort needed to produce a quality result. If a room is “clean” but everything is just shoved under the bed, the task’s accuracy is zero, even if the appearance is passing.

    In the classroom, this is demonstrated in the accuracy and quality of our assigned homework and written reports.  And in the lab, our lab work and lab results will demonstrate the required accuracy & precision, including significant figures. This requires dedication to our craft, effort, and, most of all, practice.

    Roles of Parents, Teachers, and Mentors

    Children don’t know what “clean” or “quality” looks like until it is demonstrated. Parents, teachers, and mentors must set the “standard of measurement.”

    In my case, it was not until my sophomore year of college, when Dr. Walkup took over as my advisor and mentor and set expectations for what my work needed to be for me to be successful, that I realized the weaknesses in my approach to my work. It was then that I began to seek out instruction and constructive criticism from all my professors, whether in math or physics, and to make a sincere effort to meet all their expectations.

    Anyone who lets you ‘skate’ has given up on your potential. A mentor who demands precision believes you are capable of greatness. Dr. Walkup wasn’t being ‘mean’—he was being honest. He saw that my talent was being wasted, and he refused to let me “skate by” in any of my efforts.

    A Blueprint for Parents:

    Parents are a child’s first “Dr. Walkup.” They provide the first set of tools for their “toolbox.”

    Setting the Expectation: It isn’t enough to say “Clean your room.” A parent must define what “Clean” involves. 

    Modeling: Showing the effort required to properly clean your room, demonstrating the process the first time as a working example, proving that quality isn’t an accident.

    The Result: When parents hold the line on chores, they are actually teaching you, using a scientific term, “Dimensional Analysis” for the rest of your life, ensuring the output matches the required units of excellence.

    Emotional Maturity

    I believe a critical component in honing your attention to detail is openness to instruction and constructive criticism, both hallmarks of a growth mindset. We must recognize that there are always ways we can improve, actively seek out new, more exact ways of doing things, and be willing to try and then incorporate better methods into our “toolbox.”

    We must develop an ability to recognize that the required expectations are not perceived as the mentor being “mean” but rather as a true growth opportunity. And as lifelong students, we need to find true motivation to meet those expectations for the long term, not strictly for a short-term grade or job bonus, but for personal growth. 

    I can compare it to student-athletes who may have a ton of talent, but when they enter college, that talent alone does not ensure success unless they transcend it and become professionals in all the areas needed for long-term success.

    As we discussed, my “Dr. Walkup” moment, I want to emphasize the emotional maturity requirement. Without emotional maturity, the “Dr. Walkup moment” is just a conflict; with it, that moment becomes a conversion.

    Dr. Walkup didn’t just challenge my work ethic; he challenged my self-perception, shifting it from “naturally smart” to “meticulous professional.”

    My Dr. Walkup Evolution

    My “Pre-Dr. Walkup” MindsetMy Converted Mindset Due to Dr. Walkup’s Influence
    Feedback: Any commentary felt like an insult or “mean” behavior.
    		Feedback: Constructive criticism is now seen as “Data” used to calibrate my next attempt.
    Motivation: I was just doing the work for the grade or to “get it over with.”Motivation: To invest in the work in order to master the craft and build a reputation.
    Talent: I used my natural talent as an excuse to skip the hard, boring prep work.Talent: I understood that my talents were just a starting foundation that must be reinforced with discipline.
    Results: My “finished” assignments and lessons were easily forgotten.Result: I strive to produce “quality products” that I am proud to sign my name to.

    It is vital to recognize that the need for “emotional maturity” is a life-long commitment, not a one-time milestone. As humans, we naturally tend to believe we have reached our peak once we achieve a successful outcome. In my experience, this can lead to the dangerous assumption that we no longer require mentorship. When we convince ourselves we are “experts,” we often slide back into the same poor habits we struggled with at the start of our journeys.

    Conclusion

    Right now, you might be the best player on your local field just because you were born with some natural talent, a big fish in a small pond, so to speak. But eventually, you’re going to move up to a bigger league, a bigger pond. When you get to college or your first real job, everyone there will have talent.

    While the ‘Skater’ hits their ceiling and fails, the ‘Professional’ has no ceiling because they’ve built a foundation and a support network, and they exhibit emotional maturity that sustains them throughout their career.

    What role defines you?

  • Mastering Study Habits: 3 Steps to Improve Grades

    Mastering Study Habits: 3 Steps to Improve Grades

    Do you feel like you’re putting in your maximum effort, spending an extraordinary amount of time studying, yet your grades on exams don’t reflect your efforts? It’s a common frustration, but the issue often isn’t your effort – it’s your strategy. To succeed in tough subjects like math and science, you need to control the parameters that truly impact your learning. This post outlines a simple, three-step system for better study habits: start with the environment where you study, then perfect your note-taking technique, and finally apply a consistent daily review to retain information in your long-term memory.

    Step One

    When I’m tutoring a student who is struggling in math or science, the first thing I discuss – with both the student and their parents – isn’t usually the actual schoolwork. Instead, it’s about a simple idea: how well you study totally depends on where you’re doing it.

    A lot of students think “studying” just means having their textbook open. But if they’re sitting in their bedroom, surrounded by video games, the TV, music, and their bed, they’re basically inviting distractions. The bedroom isn’t a focused setting; it’s set up for relaxing, not for the serious mental effort it takes to really learn difficult material.

    Personal Commentary

    Students like to study together, and while I enthusiastically endorse study groups, I find they work best in a controlled, supervised environment such as a library or at a kitchen table with the assistance of a parent or a qualified tutor.

    Compare it to a science experiment. The first step to a successful one is controlling all the components. In the same way, you can’t truly figure out if you understand a subject if your attention keeps getting broken by your surroundings.

    The quickest and most effective way to see better grades is to move to a spot with fewer distractions. Places like the dining room table or a kitchen island are neutral, structured areas. That physical move actually signals to your brain that it’s time to focus on work. This change lets you pay critical attention and concentrate for genuine understanding.

    Step Two

    After you’ve got your study space all set up, the next big thing for effective studying is how you actually write things down, your note-taking technique. Similarly, like a science project, you need clear, neat data collection so you can actually look at it later.

    Many students make the mistake of trying to write down everything the teacher says. However, just being a human tape recorder doesn’t mean you’re learning anything. Good note-taking needs to be an active, organized process.

    Using a structured layout, especially for math and science, is a major upgrade. One very successful method is to split your paper into separate columns, one for your main notes. Leaving one for when you are reviewing your notes, for key formulas, questions, or reminders, and for a summary – you force your brain to figure out and organize the concepts or formulas as they’re taught, instead of just mindlessly copying them.

    Taking notes is the second step in this process, but the real goal is actually to retain the information long-term. That’s exactly why you have to develop the habit of reviewing them every single day.

    Step Three

    Human memory is imperfect. If you write notes on Monday and then don’t look at them again until right before a Friday test, you’re going to lose a great deal of that information. At that point, you’re not actually reviewing – you’re basically starting over and relearning everything.

    To beat this whole “forgetting curve” thing, you need to use those great notes in a smart way. I once read an article recommending that for every hour you spend in the classroom, you devote two hours at home completing the assigned homework and reviewing/studying the notes from that day’s lesson. When you start, hit the main points and use your notes to quiz yourself. This small, consistent effort stops the forgetting process dead in its tracks. It’s the secret for locking complex ideas into your long-term memory, turning studying from a frantic, last-minute panic session into a calm, steady climb to mastery.

    Personal Commentary

    I had a student in an advanced math and science program, in which I taught, who, when reviewing her notes at home, spent time highlighting the key, crucial facts she needed to commit to memory. Her notes then became a major learning tool in her success in the classroom.

    Conclusion

    In summary, becoming less frustrated about your academic success isn’t solely about working harder – it’s about controlling the right variables. If you commit to this simple, three-step system, you can fundamentally change the way you learn. Start by mastering your environment to eliminate distractions and signal your brain it’s time to focus. Next, upgrade your note-taking technique from passive copying to active organization. Finally, defeat the “forgetting curve” by implementing a small, consistent daily review. These three strategic habits combined are the secret to mastering complex ideas, turning your time investment into genuine, measurable success.

    This blog post’s development was supported by Gemini (an AI from Google). I used AI to structure complex technical arguments and to synthesize current educational trends as of 2026. Every piece of AI-generated material was reviewed against recent educational research and adjusted to incorporate my own perspective.