Chemistry Faculty & Staff
Department chair: Jai Shanata | Contact info
Faculty & Staff
Diane Gingerich Feil
Laboratory Instructor of Biology and Chemistry
403 Russell Science Center
Charley Liberko
Sherman and Vera Schaffer Professor of Chemistry
Teaches courses in organic chemistry, Chemical Principles I & II, and non-majors courses such as Chemistry of Artists' Materials. His research with students is concerned primarily with organic dyes and the relationship between structure and optical properties. Ph.D. in organic chemistry, University of Minnesota.
Collin O'Leary
Assistant Professor of Biochemistry
Teaches courses in biology and chemistry. He earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry from Iowa State University. His research focuses on identifying and characterizing structured RNA elements within messenger (m)RNAs that influence transcript stability and translation. His prior investigations have centered on mRNAs within viral and human host-cell environments. His future research will explore the structure and function of mRNAs within the model organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast).
Andrea Pionek
Laboratory Instructor and Lecturer in Chemistry
402 Russell Science Center
Cindy Strong
William Deskin Professor of Chemistry
Teaches courses in analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and Chemical Principles I & II. She and her students pursue research projects in bioinorganic chemistry and analytical chemistry. Ph.D. in chemistry, California Institute of Technology.
Craig Teague
Professor of Chemistry; Richard and Norma Small Distinguished Professor
Teaches courses in physical chemistry, Chemical Principles I & II, and other courses. In partnership with the Oak Ridge National Lab in Tennessee, his research with students explores methods of separating and capturing carbon dioxide, particularly using room temperature ionic liquids. Ph.D. in chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Catherine Volle
Associate Professor of Biochemistry
Teaches introductory and advanced courses in biology and chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry. She and her students use chemical techniques to investigate biological problems. They investigate new and exciting ways to kill bacteria and how viral proteins can disrupt non-canonical DNA structures. Ph.D., molecular and cellular biology and biochemistry, Brown University.
Bing Yuan
Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Teaches courses in chemistry. Has conducted research in the response of the global biosphere to climate change using stable-isotope analysis, investigating the reaction of air pollutants in the human body, and identifying the decomposition reaction mechanics and chemical kinetics of rapidly heated diethyl methylphosphonate and triethyl phosphate. Dr. Yuan earned a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of Arizona.
Emeriti Faculty & Lecturers
Addison Ault
Professor Emeritus of Chemistry
Ph.D. in chemistry, Harvard University
Jeff Cardon
Professor of Biology and Chemistry Emeritus
B.S., University of Utah; Ph.D., University of California
Truman Jordan
Professor Emeritus of Chemistry
Ph.D., Harvard University