After earning his B.A. in Chemistry from McMurry College in Abilene, Texas and his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Texas A&M University, Dr. Jones worked as Associate Professor of Chemistry at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas; Associate Professor of Chemistry at New Mexico Military Institute; Lab Safety Manager at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center; and Instructor, General Chemistry Coordinator, and Undergraduate Advisor at TTU's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.  During the 2005-06 school year, he served at the Texas Tech School of Law as the Assistant Director of the Center for Biodefense, Law and Public Policy.  He received the freshman chemistry award and outstanding science student award as a senior at McMurry, and a first-year graduate student award at Texas A&M.