Richard Mabbs
2 courses · 46 reviews
All Reviews
Tough exams but grading scale adjusts for it. Professor Mabbs loves teaching, is accessible outside of class, and usually lectures well. Sometimes he doesn't time lectures well so we cram material into the last five minutes and his handwriting can be suspect. Overall, he is caring, even if he can be a little intimidating to talk to one-on-one.
8/1/2026
Professor Mabbs was an extremely enthusiastic and dedicated lecturer. His lectures were humorous and well explained. Some lectures build on context from the textbook and readings, and he doesn't go over that in class.
12/23/2025
The lectures are very comprehensive but crammed with information. He's a great teacher with lots of experience. Definitely take advantage of PLTLs, as that is where the concepts actually came together for me. Weekly quizzes are okay and require minimal studying, but exams are pretty difficult (especially the final).
12/18/2025
He truly loves chemistry but is just not a great lecturer. Sort of goes in talking like you know the stuff. He cares, though, and tries. He is just not great at teaching, especially because it's a tough subject to learn. If you're in 1701 and don't have a vast chem background, I'd recommend going to Daschbach's lectures instead.
12/9/2025
Chem 1701 is notoriously tough, but Mabbs is accessible outside of class and usually has great lectures. Sometimes he doesn't word things well and his handwriting can be suspect but he loves teaching and times lectures very well despite the dense material.
11/5/2025
Dr. Mabbs is awesome. Such a great lecturer who you can tell is passionate about what he's teaching. His lectures were super engaging and taught well. Tough class but definitely worth it.
10/20/2025
Tough material, tough tests with limited time, but great lecturer and accessible after and outside of class.
10/18/2025
Mr. Mabbs has an extremely soothing voice and acts like he genuinely cares about your learning process in the class. He takes time to answers questions when a student raises their hands and also can spend time after lecture to answer any more questions you might have about certain topics. Although the course is difficult, he gives his support.
10/17/2025
2-4 hrs/week
Mabbs is a fantastic lecturer. I never found myself bored during class. The class is relatively difficult; it will likely be different than any other class you have taken. Super interesting material though.
2/27/2025
Very personable and kind. Wanted us to understand the material and was also very helpful during office hours.
1/9/2025
While the course is very hard but he is really nice. He is so patient that he even explained one concept for me for 40 minutes after class. But since he is a researcher so sometimes his teaching can be incomprehensible.
12/27/2024
The test grading was obnoxiously unfair, but the tests themselves were representative of in class material. Mabbs was ok, but his lectures got stale, and if you missed one, they felt really optional onward (although participation is graded). The help-sessions are always crowded and unavailable. PLTL/online-lectures are key.
12/23/2024
tuff but great course. mabbs is such a cute englishman. dry sense of humor helps keep things chill in class. it was nice to have 2 profs so you could hear different perspectives. so happy i took 111 over 105. do not listen to advisors, 111 is quality.
12/19/2024
Mabbs himself is very nice. Chem111 is extremely difficult, but he is a good professor. It can be difficult to ask questions in help sessions with so many other people there, but if you can ask, he does give good explanations. Plus, I really liked how he highlighted chemists from underrepresented identities.
12/18/2024
4-6 hrs/week
Mabbs is an awesome lecturer with a passion for the subject. The first half of the semester is dedicated to wave physics which was kind of frustrating because my friends taking 105 were learning actual chemistry and I was struggling to understand how what I was learning applied to anything. In the last month or so of class everything started coming together and it was very satisfying having everything tie in. DO UNGRADED HOMEWORK and go to PLTL.
12/11/2024
Tuff course but Mabbs nailed it. He is so encouraging and I would love him even if I don't end up with an A.
12/6/2024
Prof. Mabbs was an amazing professor and made Chem 111 very enjoyable!
12/5/2024
Best prof ever. Really appreciated how he talks about scientists from underrepresented groups and achievements. Chem111/112 is not an easy course, but his lectures are very helpful. Hardworking pays off in this course.
10/29/2024
Dr. Mabbs is a fantastic professor. Probably the best lecturer I have ever had. The content of Chem 111 is pretty difficult, but he always kept the lectures super engaging, and I never really found myself bored. He uses the chalkboard much more than slides which facilitates note-taking very well.
10/16/2024
2-4 hrs/week
Certain concepts can be tricky to understand, but go to office hours when you have questions. Discussing concepts with others can be helpful to clarify misunderstandings. Do the non graded homework and PLTL, and you will be fine. If you don't have a background in chemistry (taken 0 chemistry courses in hs then for sure take 105) (if you have taken ap chem and ap phys 2 then for sure take 111)
5/18/2024
Chem 111 is a total disaster, but Mabbs is awesome. He gives very clear lectures and is very personable.
5/6/2024
Best science class I've taken in a while. Mabbs teaches lectures like a continuous story and class is entertaining and easy to follow. Assessments are difficult, but the curve makes it not too hard to do well.
2/7/2024
Mabbs, mabbs, mabbs. What a mabbulous little British man! He cares so much about his students. He's very approachable as well, and his accent legitimately makes lecture less boring. Even though Chem 111 is definitely challenging, the instructors do a great job of providing lots of extra resources to help you succeed.
1/17/2024
It's clear that Professor mabbs is very passionate about chemistry, and that he tries his best to help students understand course content. However, his expertise sometimes does the opposite because he just uses big words to explain very simple concepts, which can leave some people confused at times.
1/16/2024
Mabbs was a good professor. Since 111 is such a hard class, I recommend going to Daschbach for office hours because she is an even better teacher in my opinion. Still, Mabbs is very passionate and quite organized as a lecturer. Be ready to put in the work for this class, but it isn't as impossible at it seems.
1/11/2024
lots of tests but mabbs is a good professor that is passionate in what he teaches. he goes fast and there's a lot of tests so be prepared to essentially study the whole semester past October. would recommend if u can put the time in
1/11/2024
Mabbs was a good lecturer who left me feeling prepared for the exams. He was also accessible to students outside of class and enjoyed getting to know people who wanted to know more about chemistry. Tests were extremely challenging and constitute most of your grade, so make sure you're prepared. The class incorporates a lot of physics too.
1/3/2024
I learned so much, and even though I got a C, I didn't fully utilize the resources that were provided until the end of the semester. he is a really good lecturer, and it is really easy to take notes and to learn. I do suggest going to office hours with prof. daschbach, she is the GOAT!
1/2/2024
Mabbs is a great professor. Chem 111 is designed to be a very different course but, with few exceptions, Prof. Mabbs did a great job explaining concepts at a reasonable pace and working through examples. HW is very light but studying is absolutely necessary to get a good grade.
12/22/2023
Dr. Mabbs was a caring teacher with very clear grading criteria. Use the calendar to stay on top of things. He was confusing sometimes, and do not drift off or you will be lost. No fear, go back and look at the video. Go to help sessions. I like Dr. Dashback's.
12/22/2023
Amazing lecturer, makes class very interesting but you have to pay attention constantly to do well in the class. If you like physics and need to take chem take 111.
12/22/2023
Professor Mabb's lectures are very clear and easy to follow. The tests are difficult, however there are lots of resources to prepare you for them. Overall, he's a very dedicated and nice professor and truly cares about the topics he teaches.
12/21/2023
Professor Mabbs is such an amazing lecturer. He is able to make the topics easy to understand and interesting. He really cares and wants his students to succeed, and he is very accessible outside of class during his office hours.
12/8/2023
Nicest and most relatable guy I've ever met, and he is always there with a smile. He'll also help you after class or during DAILY office hours. Theres so many resources to help you succeed, even if the material is hard. Daschbach on the contrary, is not a nice person, but she is very intelligent and helpful.
12/8/2023
Professor Mabbs is the sweetest, most passionate, little British man ever. He makes the most difficult topics easy to understand, and his passion for chemistry is contagious. I came into his class thinking chemistry was hell on earth, and now I want to major in chemistry. There are so many resources, and his brilliance is very apparent.
10/16/2023
He is an expert in teaching, providing many great insights into the principle of general chemistry.
9/25/2023
Great professor. The material could have been very difficult, but he made it clear and easy.
12/10/2012
Awesome professor. Truly cares about what he is teaching, and if students understand. Nice guy. Difficult topic though. Grading procedures are rather opaque (everything is normalized, so an A on one test does not equal an A on another).
12/24/2009
Quantum Chemistry is a difficult subject, but Professor Mabbs does a good job of explaining the material. If you have any problems on the homeworks or anything else in the course, go to his office and he'll steer you in the right direction. Exams are pretty difficult.
12/19/2008
Mabbs was very incoherent in his teaching method--skipping from topic to topic without clearly connecting how its relevant for something else. He was confusing and made class harder with his light writing on the board. Not a very organized guy.
4/15/2008
Difficult class, but all the material on the exams are in the lecture notes.
3/19/2008
This was Professor Mabbs' second year at WU, and his first year teaching. Even though he was thrown right in to Gen Chem 1, the biggest class at WU, he did a great job of keeping everything clear and interesting, competing with Prof. Buhro's section. I recommend taking 111A with Mabbs if possible. If it's worth anything, he's got an amazing accent!
11/21/2007