At 30, Marcus Bartlett has done what some academicians dream of for an entire career. The Clayton State University senior, a double major in chemistry and mathematics, discovered a mathematical formula that now bears his name. The research that resulted in the discovery of the Bartlett Index has been published in the Journal of Combinatorial Mathematics and Combinatorial Computing.
“It’s a way to count the distances of structures in molecules,” Bartlett explained. “It came from a research project I had to do as a chemistry major. But I’d also done a lot of math, and I wanted to combine the two. It’s mainly mathematical, but it can use it in chemistry.”
Creating a complex index in itself is a remarkable accomplishment. But Bartlett doing it is nothing short of amazing, said his mentor Elliot Krop, a professor of mathematics at Clayton State.
“It is very unusual to have something named for a student; I’ve only seen it in rare cases,” Krop said. “And to have a study published in a research journal as an undergraduate who is not working at a major research university is amazing. What’s even more unusual is that Marcus has found something that really will be studied for a while.”
Bartlett’s achievements are even more impressive when weighed against his background. After graduating from Stockbridge High School, he went to work in the heating and air industry and began building cabinetry. His love of architecture drew him back to the classroom when he was 24, but before he could get started, he needed to catch up on the basics.
“I was always horrible at math; it was my worst subject. Most people took calculus in my high school, but I didn’t. I had to take a lot of it because I wanted to go into drafting and engineering,” he said.
Bartlett jumped-started his postsecondary education at Griffin Technical College (now Southern Crescent Technical), where he earned an associate degree in architectural drafting. He moved onto Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta for one semester until his son was born and the commute became too difficult. He enrolled at Clayton State where he started taking “every math class I could.
“But then I got more interested in chemistry, so I decided to go for a double degree,” Bartlett said. “When I graduate in the spring, I’ll have a bachelor’s in math and chemistry.”
Getting those degrees not only involved strenuous academic effort; it also meant juggling an array of personal responsibilities. Until last year, Bartlett worked full time at night for UPS. He also had a part-time position tutoring math, physics and chemistry in Clayton State’s Academic Success Center.
“I always tried to stay on top of things, I guess,” Bartlett said. “When I was working at night and going to school, I had to study all day on the weekends.”
Bartlett’s hard work has paid off. He’s already been accepted into the chemistry Ph.D. program at the University of Georgia and is waiting to hear from a few other schools before he makes a final decision about which institution to attend.
“Marcus is a great student, very inquisitive, and you can tell he’s going to be a lifelong learner,” said Jonathan Lyon, a Clayton State chemistry professor. “He’s extremely enthusiastic, and he loves presenting his research. He’s had a lot on his plate between work and school life, but he’s handled it very well.”
Just where a doctorate degree will lead him isn’t certain, Bartlett said.
“I could work for a company or teach at a university, but I’d also like to do research,” he said. “There are so many doors that open up with a Ph.D. But I’ve always just gone with the flow. That’s what’s gotten me here so far.”
