Professor, Chemistry and PhysicsMeier Hall 425A978.542.6734
Professor, Department of Chemistry & Physics Salem State University 1998-present
Department Chair, 2013-2022
Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, 1998 Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Thesis Advisor: Dr. A. W. Castleman, Jr.
Dissertation title: Molecular Activation by Surface Coordination
Model: Insight into Heterogeneous Atmospheric Chemistry through
Cluster-Ion Molecule Reactions
Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry, 1990 Gordon College, Wenham, MA
Dr. Ron MacTaylor has taught a variety of courses in the Department of Chemistry & Physics and served 3-terms as department chair from 2013-2022.
Currently- you will find him teaching introductory physics courses- PHS 211A College Physics I, PHS 212A College Physics II and PHS 311 General Physics III along with the non-majors SRL course PHS 101A Physical Science I. All of these courses use OER- free, online textbook OpenStax College Physics. Dr. MacTaylor’s online homework is free and set up on Canvas. Students are able to access on-demand homework help video content that Dr. MacTaylor recorded and provides via links on the Canvas page.
In the past, Dr. MacTaylor has taught PHS 107 Physics of Music, PHS 221 General Physics I with Calculus, CHE 560 Chemistry Seminar as well as a number of Physics Directed Study Research courses.
Dr. MacTaylor has collaborated with several students on research projects, including Commonwealth Honor’s Program Honor’s Thesis projects- including The Physics of Skydiving and The Physics of Motocross Track Design. If students with unique interests want to collaborate – reach out!
I teach Inrtoductory Physics I & II, as well as Physics III, Physics of Music and a variety of Special Topics and Directed Study in Physics courses.
I have taught Nursing Chemistry, General Chemistry Lab and Chemistry Senior Seminar.
Publications:
R. S. MacTaylor and A. W. Castleman, Jr., Cluster Ion Reactions: Insights into
Processes of Atmospheric Significance, Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry, 36 (1):
23-63, May 2000.
R. S. MacTaylor, J. J. Gilligan D. J. Moody and A. W. Castleman, Jr., The
bimolecular rate constants and temperature dependence (-120°C - -140°C) for the
reaction of D+(D2O)n with HCl, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 103, 2655, 1999.
R. S. MacTaylor, J. J. Gilligan D. J. Moody and A. W. Castleman, Jr., Molecular activation by surface coordination: a new model for HCl reactivity on water-ice polar stratospheric clouds, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 103, 4196, 1999.
R. S. MacTaylor, J. J. Gilligan and A. W. Castleman, Jr., Reactions of iodine oxide and iodine oxoacid anion species with nitric acid, International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 179/180, 327 - 335, 1998.
R. S. MacTaylor, W. D. Vann, and A. W. Castleman, Jr., Thermal energy reaction rates of Titanium monomer cation, Journal of Physical Chemistry, 100, 5329-5333, 1996.
Session Organizer:
Ronald MacTaylor Session Organizer Northeast American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies Annual Meeting Between Disciplines: Science and Literature 2006.
Ronald S. MacTaylor, Christine E. MacTaylor and Irvin J. Levy; Informal Chemistry Education - Enthusiastic Educational Endeavors. 227th National American Chemical Society Meeting, Anaheim, CA, 2004.
Presentations:
Ronald MacTaylor Television Appearance: The Travel Channel: Ghost Adventures Season 6; Episode- Goldfield Hotel: Redemption, Original Air Date, Friday March 22, 2013. I was featured as a Physics Professor analyzing the trajectory of and discussing the physics behind the motion of an unexplained flying rock caught on film, 2013.
Jodie Trivedi, Ronald MacTaylor (Faculty Sponsor) Department of Physics, Salem State University Physics Applied to Motocross Track Design The 18th Annual Massachusetts Statewide Undergraduate Research Conference, Amherst, MA, 2012.
Ronald MacTaylor “Pearls and Perils of Honors Thesis Advising” Pearls and Perils of Classroom Teaching, Salem State University, Salem, MA, 2012.
Jodie L. Gutierrez and Dr. Ronald MacTaylor, ““Environmentally conscious and sustainable ATV recreation: Course planning, design and construction,” 9th Annual Undergraduate Symposium of Sustainability and the Environment, Bridgewater State University, Student Presentation: Bridgewater, MA, 2011.
Ronald MacTaylor “Recreational Physics as Outreach and Motivation for Introductory Level Students”2011 AAPT (American Association of Physics Teachers) Winter Meeting National Conference, Presented Talk:, Jacksonville, FL, 2011.
Ronald MacTaylor “"Sewing" the seeds of green chemistry: Cub Scouts.”234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, 2007.
Ronald MacTaylor Do I need a Ph.D. to watch T.V.?Presentation at The Northeast Popular Culture / American Culture Association Annual Meeting, Rivier College, Nashua, NH, 2006.
Lisa Stevenson and Ronald S. MacTaylor; Phytoremediation Abilities of House Plants 11th Annual Massachusetts Statewide Undergraduate Research Conference, Boston, MA, 2005.
Ronald S. MacTaylor and Christine E. MacTaylor; Chemistry Club Outreach Activities: Creating Community and Enthusiasm. 227th National American Chemical Society Meeting, Anaheim, CA, 2004.
Ronald S. MacTaylor; Physics Connections: Making Physics Courses interesting and relevant by designing applications oriented and FUN laboratories. 6th Annual Pearls and Perils Conference by the Council on Teaching and Learning, Salem, MA, 2002.
R. S. MacTaylor, A condensed phase study of ion-molecule species, American Geophysical Union 2001 Spring Meeting, Boston, MA, 2001.
R. S. MacTaylor, J. J. Gilligan and A. W. Castleman, Jr., An investigation into the atmospheric reactivity of iodine ion species, Fourth International Conference on Chemical Kinetics, Gaithersburg, MD, 1997.