John Barr works under many names. He is the teacher, proctor and/or aide in the Flex Science Resource Center. Everyday, he helps students to better grasp chemistry, math and physics concepts.

He earned a PhD in Ceramic Engineering from Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, making him somewhat of an expert in his field. For his reason for coming to Lafayette, Barr said, “After 10 years of doing something I didn’t find important or rewarding for the soul, I decided to teach.”

 What is your greatest fear?
Communism. Because human beings aren’t meant to work that way and the only way that the Communists were able to perpetuate their system was by applying a very, very harsh tyranny that crushes the human spirit.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
Units. Unit conversions are so crucial to getting the right answer in physics and chemistry problems, and so people are trying to learn physics and chemistry and they’re allowing units to hold them back because they’re getting the wrong answer. Not because they don’t know physics or chemistry, but because they can’t convert meters to centimeters.

If you could have any super power what would it be?
The ability to stop time for everyone else but me. It’s the greatest super power of all. Then I could run around doing whatever I wanted while everyone else was standing still.

 When you were a kid in school, what was your favorite subject and why?
Debate. If you’ve met me, or spend any time around me, you’d know that I really enjoy debating and still do.

 If you could be any teacher at Lafayette for one day, who would it be?
Mrs. [Sharon] Campbell because she teaches chemistry and physics and AP physics and I want to teach those things.