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Click here to see me get a pie in the face!!

What was the make of the first car I owned?

A 2-door, red Opel - in 1968. It was essentially a tin can with 4 wheels, but it did yeoman's duty getting my wife, Geri, and myself where we needed to go. I think Opel's are still made in Germany. In 1968 they were imported and sold by Buick.


What does the "G" stand for in my name (G. Thomas Frederick)?

Grover - now you know why (Sesame Street) Grover's image appears on my homepage and why I have a Grover doll in my office (given to me by Daisy, one of my daughters). Grover is my paternal grandmother's maiden name (Lucy Grover). The earliest record of the Grover lineage starts in Chesham Parish in England about 1585, moves through Salem, Massachusetts in the late 1630's (picked up some "witchiness" there maybe??), and eventually makes it to Ohio. My grandmother, and my father and his three sisters, lived in southern Ohio.

Where did I go for my 25th wedding anniversary?

My wife, Geri, and I celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in 1993 at the Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid, New York. It's a little pricey, but our 25th comes only once in a lifetime, so it was worth every penny!!

What is my hometown (where I was born and "grew up")?

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio - in the city itself, NOT in a suburb (most people who say they are from Cleveland are likely from one of the suburbs). I am a diehard Cleveland Browns (football) and Cleveland Indians (baseball) fan. You have to be a very patient person to have lived in Cleveland in the 1950's and 1960's. The city has made tremendous improvements in the last decade. But, I was proud of being a native Clevelander even in those more "gritty" times (yes, the Cuyahoga River that runs through Cleveland did catch on fire!!)

Do I have any siblings?

Yes, three wonderful ones. My older brother is Dallas, my younger brother is Carl, and my sister is Nina.

What are their genders? - all are women

Where did they go to college?

Betsy went to undergraduate school at Duke, and finished her Masters in Architecture from the the University of California-Berkeley.

Daisy graduated from Cornell. She also earned a Master's Degree at the Lesley University in Cambridge, MA.

Jennifer went to undergraduate school at Nazareth College (here in Rochester, NY), and on to Fordham Law School in New York City for her law degree.

How old am I (years)? - I was born on September 16, 1946 (you do the math)

How long have I been at RIT? - I started teaching at RIT on September 1, 1975

How did I break my right leg in 1973?

I was playing fast-pitch softball for the Wooster (Ohio) Merchants. I was not a very good hitter, but did manage to eek out a single in a game that was still being played at midnight on May 18/19, 1973. I was supposed to steal second base. I did get a good jump on the pitcher and slid into second base, leading with my right foot. I thought the base was not anchored - unfortunately it WAS!!! My foot stopped immediately, but my leg and the rest of me kept right on going. I sustained what the doctor called a comminuted fracture of my lower leg. I was in a whole leg cast for 6 months. That is why I am still so very good at demonstrating how to use crutches.

What is my favorite type of dessert? - ANYTHING that is chocolate!!!

Name one foreign country I have visited (other than Canada or Mexico)

I was in Singapore four times (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992) to help a university there known as Ngee Ann Polytechnic start a 3-year diploma program in Biotechnology (now referred to as Molecular Biotechnology). The program still exists - it is something of which I am very proud. I can talk forever about Singapore, its people, sights, sounds, smells, foods, cultures..............

My wife, Geri, and I also spent four days in London (February, 1998) and four days in Paris (June, 2000).

What is my weight (within 5 pounds)? - Depends on when you ask me. I usually "hover" between 170-180.

What is one of my favorite hobbies, pastimes or leisure activities.

I thoroughly enjoy hiking, bicycling, woodworking, gardening, weightlifting, reading, maps, theater set construction. I also do a little cooking (my scones and satey chicken are "legendary"), and like to try to keep up with repairs on our 1830's home.

What is my political party affiliation?

I grew up a Democrat in Cleveland. I don't think I am a "dyed-in-the-wool" affiliate of any particular party. However, I probably still vote more Democrat than Republican.


What is the name of my high school (I graduated in 1964)?

Cleveland South High School - Unfortunately, it received some very nasty publicity in October, 1999 when four of the students there apparently tried to "repeat" the Columbine massacre. Luckily, they were apprehended before anyone was injured.

Name one of the courses I teach at RIT.

I have taught or now teach Advanced Electron Microscopy; Biology Freshman Symposium; Contemporary Science; Electron Microscopy - Instrumentation; Electron Microscopy - Specimen Preparation; General Biology Laboratory; Hybridoma Techniques; Immunology; Introduction to Co-op Seminar; Introductory Biology I Lecture & Laboratory; Introductory Microbiology; Microbiology in Health & Disease; Scanning Electron Microscopy; Transmission Electron Microscopy

What was my final major in college (I changed it three times!! - so what is my degree major)?

I went to college at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. I started out as a Math major because my high school math teacher said I would be good at math. It didn't take long (a quarter) to discover that I was definitely NOT. I switched to Chemistry because I actually liked it in high school. Boy, was I surprised to find out how hard college-level chemistry was, especially the labs!! So, after two quarters as a Chemistry major, I switched to Physics because my older brother was earning his Ph.D. in physics at the time. So I said "why not" (real good thinking here???). Well, it took an experience in a vector algebra course to convince me that I did not have the aptitude for physics.

As part of the requirement for physics majors, I took a Microbiology course for non-majors in the Spring of my sophomore year. I remember very well that I was sitting in the front row, third seat from the window and the teacher, Mrs. Elizabeth M. Mote, was describing how a virus infected a cell. I was fascinated - I knew right then that Microbiology was something I definitely wanted to explore. I talked with Mrs. Mote later that day and decided to switch to Microbiology as my major. It was the best choice I could have made. I worked hard, but thoroughly enjoyed the subject matter (so much so that I earned 4.00 grade averages for 4 of my last 5 quarters at Ohio State).

I remained at OSU for my Master's and Ph.D. in Microbiology. My research focused on Immunology and this remains my professional interest.