Labs and facilities
Creating a community of game-changers
Research is at the center of our department, exhibited not only in our expert faculty but our future expert students.
Faculty research
Analytical chemistry
- Jaclyn Torkelson Dr. Torkelson focuses on marine and aquatic environmental analytical chemistry. Her research uses lipids, amino acids, and isotopes to assess the impact of environmental stressors on organisms such as coral, plankton, and skates.
- Victor Ramos Sánchez Dr. Ramos Sanchez is an advocate and early adopter in higher education of alternative approaches promoting green analytical principles such as miniaturization, in-situ detection, multi-elemental analysis, no sample preparation. His research focuses on designing and implementing sustainable materials and processes for hydrogen production and fuel cells. For more information see the Ramos Sánchez lab website.
- Jani Ingram (Chair) Dr. Ingram investigates environmental contaminants with respect to their impact on health. A major part of her research is focused on characterizing elemental contaminants in water, soil, plants and livestock.
Read more about Dr. Ingram’s research Accordion Closed
A critical aspect of Dr. Ingram’s research is to foster collaborations with the Native American community and leaders to build trust, obtain access to field samples and gain insights into their health concerns. Recruiting Native American students to work with her as a Navajo principal investigator on the project and building an interdisciplinary, collaborative team of scientists with expertise in analytical chemistry, geoscience, cancer biology, and social sciences are also important to her research. She is a member of the Navajo Nation (born to the Náneesht’ézhi clan) and is involved in outreach activities for Native American students in undergraduate and graduate research. She was named the 2018 recipient of the American Chemical Society Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences.
Links: Partnership for Native American Cancer Research (NACP)
Biochemistry
- Melanie Johnston
- Andrew Koppisch
- Naomi Lee Dr. Lee uses self-assembling peptide and virus-like particles as platforms to develop vaccines. Primary vaccine targets are sexually transmitted infections including human papillomavirus (HPV), Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and HIV. For more information see the Lee Group website.
Chemical Education
Environmental chemistry
- Jaclyn Torkelson Dr. Torkelson focuses on marine and aquatic environmental analytical chemistry. Her research uses lipids, amino acids, and isotopes to assess the impact of environmental stressors on organisms such as coral, plankton, and skates.
- Jani Ingram (Chair) Dr. Ingram investigates environmental contaminants with respect to their impact on health. A major part of her research is focused on characterizing elemental contaminants in water, soil, plants and livestock.
Read more about Dr. Ingram’s research Accordion Closed
A critical aspect of Dr. Ingram’s research is to foster collaborations with the Native American community and leaders to build trust, obtain access to field samples and gain insights into their health concerns. Recruiting Native American students to work with her as a Navajo principal investigator on the project and building an interdisciplinary, collaborative team of scientists with expertise in analytical chemistry, geoscience, cancer biology, and social sciences are also important to her research. She is a member of the Navajo Nation (born to the Náneesht’ézhi clan) and is involved in outreach activities for Native American students in undergraduate and graduate research. She was named the 2018 recipient of the American Chemical Society Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students into Careers in the Chemical Sciences.
Links: Partnership for Native American Cancer Research (NACP)
Inorganic chemistry
- Stephanie Hurst (Graduate Coordinator) Dr. Hurst’s research centers on the synthesis of innovative inorganic and organometallic compounds, focusing on materials that offer unique properties for industrial applications. Dr Hurst’s work aims to drive advancements in next-generation technologies, bridging fundamental chemistry with practical solutions.
Organic chemistry
- Cindy Browder Dr. Browder is involved in organic synthesis (development of new organic reactions, heterocycle chemistry, drug design) and polymer & materials chemistry (polymers for applications in power storage). Browder Group website LinkedIn
Physical chemistry
Student research
Ciarra Greene, chemistry major – Ciarra led a three-year research study aiming to alleviate the harmful effects of uranium mines on the nearby Navajo reservation.
Research opportunities
Information coming soon.