Welcome to the homepage of  Joseph Ledbetter, Ph.D. Chemistry Professor Former Director, Center for Science Excellence Department of Chemistry Contra Costa College 2600 Mission Bell Drive San Pablo, CA 94806 jledbetter@contracosta.edu (510) 235-7800 ext. 4365 (office) (510) 236-0155 (fax)

Dr.Ledbetter teaches chemistry and sometimes math and physics at Contra Costa College (CCC). He obtained his Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Davis. Joe, or Dr. Shorts, as he is known to his peers and students, has been teaching chemistry at CCC for more than 20 years. Prior to this, Joe taught at California State University in Fresno before joining the United States Navy for a brief stint at military training. He has also taught at Diablo Valley College and has tutored high school students in Oakland and participated as a learning tutor for kids at the Lawrence Hall of Science.

Besides teaching, Joe interacts with students in many other ways. Joe is the founding director of the Center for Science Excellence at CCC, a program that functions to coordinate classroom study, work experience in science and technology, and various science-based activities through a social support system. Its main goal is to increase the number of minority students transferring and graduating as science, mathematics, or engineering majors. As a mentor in the program, Dr. Ledbetter counsels students, tutors them and takes them backpacking every year.

An avid bicyclist, backpacker, scuba diver, sailor (sailing trip to Hawaii) and lots more, much of Joe's time not teaching or mentoring is spent outside. He is currently living on his boat with his beautiful wife Adeliza who teaches at Las Positas College.

Course Web Pages for Chemistry

CHEM 119 - Introductory Chemistry	Course Information- distance education version Course Information- regular semester version
CHEM 120 - First Semester General Chemistry	Course Information Web Sites for Experiments Distance Education Course Information
CHEM 121 - Second Semester General Chemistry	Course Information Web Sites for Experiments
CHEM 220 - Quantitative Chemical Analysis	Course Information First Day Instructions Laboratory and Text Schedule Experiment Notes Instructions for Use of Analytical Balance

Other Links:

List of Other Useful Web Resources