Faculty Feature: An Interview with Gil Reynders

By Gil Reynders

Hi, everyone. I’m Gil Reynders, and I’m sitting here with Gil Reynders, a new chemistry professor at SVCC, to ask him a few questions. Thanks for sitting down with me, Gil.

Any time, Gil. What would you like to know?

Let’s start with some basics. How long have you been at Sauk?

I started here in August, so this is my first year here.

How’s everything going so far?

It’s going really well. Everyone here is really nice and supportive, so I’m happy to be here.

That’s great to hear. Where have you lived before you moved here?

I grew up in St. Louis, and then I went to college in Lake Forest, near Chicago. Later, I got my PhD at the University of Iowa and then spent a year as a post-doc in Richmond, Virginia. After that, I taught at a small college in Iowa for a year and then came here.

What’s a post-doc? I’m not sure all of our students have heard of it.

“Post-doc” is short for postdoctoral research. Basically, after someone gets a PhD and becomes a doctor, they might spend a year or two getting more research experience at another institution. These are called post-doc positions because you have them right after you finish your doctorate (PhD).

What was the most interesting place you’ve lived?

It definitely has to be Richmond, although not just because of the city itself. I lived there when covid first started and during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. Richmond was actually the capital of the confederacy during the Civil War, so there were (emphasis on were) a bunch of confederate monuments throughout the city. When I went to the BLM protests, we frequently passed by these statues, and part of the protests was calling for their removal. I know there have been legal battles since I left, but I think most of the monuments have been donated to museums at this point.

That certainly is interesting. So tell me a little more about your family. Are you married, and do you have any kids?

I’m not married, but I have been with my partner for a few years at this point. We don’t have any kids, but we do have a cat named Lupin. Now technically, Lupin is my partner’s cat, but I like to think of him as our cat instead of her cat. Just don’t tell her I said that.

Your secret’s safe with me (and all of our readers). Anyway, what do you do for fun?

I usually spend my time playing Magic the Gathering (a card game), lifting weights, playing video games, and listening to podcasts.

What kind of podcasts?

Mostly NBA podcasts. It can be hard to watch full games since I don’t always have two hours free, but it’s easy to listen to podcasts in short bursts. I’m always listening to podcasts when I’m cooking, eating, or driving, and there’s a bunch of really entertaining NBA ones.

What kind of video games do you like to play?

I usually play RPGs, and occasionally platformers. Right now I’m working my way through Elden Ring. It’s definitely more challenging than most games I play, but it’s nice because other players have put a bunch of tips online that can make it easier. About 90% of the games I play are on the Switch, but Elden Ring isn’t on it, so I bought it for Xbox.

Well, we should be wrapping up soon, so just a few more questions. What would you do if you weren’t a chemistry professor?

I’d probably be a lawyer. I’ve always been interested in law, and that was always my backup plan if I ever decided to leave chemistry.

Do you have any fun plans for the summer?

Yeah, I’ll be traveling to Argentina for a bit. My partner’s currently there teaching English as a Fulbright scholar for most of the year, so I’m going there to visit her. She has a break in July, so we’re hoping to travel and see different parts of the country. I’ve never left the country before, but I have my passport ready and I’m excited to see new places!

What exactly is a Fulbright scholar?

Fulbright is a cultural exchange program run by the U.S. government where Americans are sent to other countries to either do research or teach English. My partner’s doing the version where you teach English.

Sounds cool. Is there anything else you want our audience to know about you?

I just hope they found this interview enlightening, and I really hope it wasn’t too weird that I played both parts.

Well I think it was a great idea. Thanks again for answering my questions.

Any time!