Hello.  My name is Mr. Roussell.  I teach 6th, 7th and 8th grade science at Jefferson Community School.  I am also my school's Technology Coordinator.  I have been teaching middle school students since 2006.

I graduated from Tulane University in 2000 with a major in Computer Information Systems and a minor in Electronics Technology.  I completed my teacher certification in General Science (6^th through 12^th grades) at Our Lady of Holy Cross College in 2009.

I love science and technology.  I always have.  My favorite scientific/technology fields are theoretical physics, astrophysics/astronomy, nanotechnology, genetics, electronics, communication systems, and computer hardware/software.

In the past, I have built a submarine demagnetizer (for the U.S. Navy), an electrical power generator (of my own design) that employed a liquid armature as a science project in college, and created, designed and written the code for a complex network management system that was used by a major bank that served Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and military bases throughout the world.

As a member of the United States Air Force, I specialized in communication systems and electronic warfare.  As part of the NATO communications infrastructure, I set up the first command and control base station in northern Germany for fighter aircraft operations.

Before becoming a teacher, I have held the following positions: Computer Scientist, Communications Engineer, Technical Manager, Network Analyst, and Systems Programmer.  Some of my responsibilities were to design national and global data communication systems, design inside plant electrical power systems, and program mainframe and satellite communication systems for the Federal Government and various Fortune 500 Corporations.

I built my technical career on solving technological or business problems for the organizations that I was affiliated.  I enjoy the challenges associated with increasing the efficiency and financial solvency of organizations.

During the last 15 years of my career in industry, I also taught technology classes to adults on topics such as TCP/IP, the Internet, routers and switches, network management, hardware repair, and programming.  I really enjoyed the work and lifestyle, but I wanted more meaning in my life, and so I became a teacher.

At Jefferson Community School, I work with some really great people.  We are all dedicated to the mission of our school and work hard to turn around the lives of at-risk middle school kids.  Our occupation is challenging and rewarding.  I look forward to getting up and going to work every day.

As a native of New Orleans, I like a good roast beef or shrimp poboy with a Barq’s root beer as a chaser.  Desert is either a fluffy bread pudding with a whipped rum topping or simply a piece of rum cake.

I enjoy spending free time with my family, writing science fiction, weightlifting, and really, deep thinking.  I also like modern and Grade-B science fiction movies, music (especially heavy metal), dogs, turtles, and cool, overcast, rainy days.

Other:

• Membership in the National Science Teachers Association

• Membership in the Association of American Educators

• Membership in the National Earth Science Teachers Association

• A 7-year military veteran (U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard)

• An independent business technology consultant for five years

• Founder of the Realms of Fiction Writers' Group which has been in existence since August 2003