John Pojman epitomizes the classic chemistry professor — wearing a button-up shirt, slacks and a blazer, complete with a colorful bow-tie and “Nerd Pride” pocket protector.Pojman is the proud owner of more than 780 pocket protectors, and his assortment continues to grow. In fact, he claims to have the largest collection of pocket protectors in the world — an undisputed claim.His affinity began about 10 years ago when he received his first pocket protector as a gift from the American Chemical Society.”I thought it was cool” he said. “I hadn’t seen one in a while. I got a few of them and wore one to class and gave them to students. It was fun.”Pojman searches online and bids on ebay.com for authentic pocket protectors. But many people have donated them over the years. “I try to make sure it goes well with the outfit,” he said. “I like the one especially from NASA because I used to research with NASA.”The average pocket protector costs him about $3 or $4 dollars, he said. But the pocket protector with the NASA logo cost him $75.Pojman’s collection ranges from pocket protectors with a Little Debbie logo to Soft Bluebonnet Margarine and Purina Milk to Wrigley’s Gum and San Giorgio Macaroni, Inc.”That’s the only thing I collect,” he said. “They don’t take up much space, and they survived Hurricane Katrina because they’re water proof.”Pojman said originally the pocket protectors seemed practical and were a handy way to keep his pens together. But now, he said he proudly wears pocket protectors to make a point that it’s OK to like science and technology. He said he was born a nerd and will die a nerd.”My other major hobby is carpe fishing and studying the aquatic salamanders of Louisiana,” Pojman said. “I don’t consider those nerdy but some might.”Pojman, who has been at the University since August, said many of his students are puzzled but amused by his array of pocket protectors.”Students generally haven’t heard of them,” he said. “They don’t have a negative stereotype because it’s been so long since they were common. That idea of an engineer with a pocket protector, many pencils and a crew cut is way before their time.”Pocket protectors are an “American contribution to fashion” and are still manufactured in the U.S., he said. But the popularity plummeted in the ’80s as they became commonly associated with nerds.Pojman said he often gives them as prizes in class for students who correctly answer a question.”There’s no negative stereotype because there’s no stereotype at all,” he said.Pojman started the Web site pocketprotectors.info to display his collection. More than 100 people visit the site weekly, he said.”I didn’t have a way to keep track of all them, so I started scanning them all in,” he said. “When I got over 100, I started having trouble remembering which ones I had, so I put them online.”Recently, a GQ Style magazine representative in London contacted Pojman. He lent them about 30 pocket protectors for a photo shoot, which will be displayed in March’s issue.—-Contact Leslie Presnall at [email protected]