FROM THE TOP OF ZURN
Amessagefrom theDepartment Chair
DearStudents,Colleauges,Alumni,andFriends,
IthasbeenanexcitingandinspiringyearintheDepartmentof Chemistry and Biochemistry. Our students and faculty have been fully engaged in scholarship, service, teaching, and learning that reflect the best of who we are as a Gannon community.
Throughout this year, we’ve seen our students excel in the classroom and beyond, earning awards, presenting research at national meetings, and contributing meaningfully to the scientific community. Our faculty continue to distinguish themselves through scholarship, mentorship, and service within the American Chemical Society at both the local and nationallevels.
In all of this, we live out Gannon University’s mission to prepare students to become responsible global citizens through faith, leadership, inclusiveness, and social responsibility.TheDepartmentofChemistryandBiochemistry recognizes the diversity of our students’ backgrounds and career aspirations and is deeply committed to preparing them to address global challenges through transformative, highimpactlearningexperiences.
I am grateful to our students, alumni, and colleagues for their continued dedication and engagement. Together, we are buildingaDepartmentthatadvancesscientificunderstanding and serves the broader community with purpose and professionalism. We look forward to being being part of
Our mission
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry embraces the diversity of our students’ backgrounds and aspirations, preparing them to apply their knowledge of chemistry and biochemistry to global challenges. Through rigorous and engaging learning experiences, we empower students to excel in graduate programs and professional paths that draw on a strong foundation in the chemical sciences
Preparing students to make positive impacts through chemistry.
Celebratingour 2025Chemistry andBiochemistry Graduates
We proudly recognize our Chemistry and Biochemistry graduates for their achievements and contributions to our Department.
Biochemistry
Brenna Cassidy • Ryan Fisher • Alexander Hurtado • Jillian Sullivan
Chemistry
Rocco Knauss • Margaret (Maggie) Lenda •
Tien Luu • Emily Schueren • Carson Whiteman
We wish you continued success!
P A G E 2
At the Department’s annual Senior Send-Off, several students were honored for their outstanding achievements American Chemical Society Division Undergraduate Awards recognize excellence and aptitude in specific areas of chemistry, encouraging continued study in the field. The College Chemistry Award, sponsored by the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, honors senior chemistry majors for academic excellence Gannon University Academic Excellence Awards in Biochemistry and Chemistry recognize graduating students for superior performance and significant contributions to the Department. Congratulations to all our awardees!
ACS Division Undergraduate Awards
Ryan Fisher – Biochemistry; Ethics and Safety
Tien Luu – Analytical Chemistry; Physical Chemistry
Margaret (Maggie) Lenda – Inorganic Chemistry
Emily Schueren – Organic Chemistry
SACP College Chemistry Award
Jillian Sullivan
Gannon University Academic Excellence Awards
ChemistyClub recievesnational recognition
The Gannon University American Chemical Society Student Chapter earned a Commendable Student Chapter Award for 2023–2024. The national ACS Society Committee on Education (SOCED) recognized the chapter’s outstanding programming, service, and leadership. Congratulations to all our dedicated student members and faculty advisors, Drs. Saber and Krise!
DepartmentofChemistry andBiochemistry welcomesnewstudents
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry welcomed several students in fall 2025. As part of Gannon’s Welcome Week, the Department hosted an Academic Program Meeting in which students were introduced to the other chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical engineering cooperative majors and Department faculty. Our new students even performed their first experiment at Gannon during the session!
GannonStudentRecognized
Gannon student Emily Huber, first-year biochemistry major, received the Outstanding First-Year College Chemistry Award from the Erie Local Section of the American Chemical Society, in recognition of her outstanding achievements in the general chemistry sequence.
P A G E 4
ChemistryandBiochemistryGiving Back
Our students and faculty continued a rich tradition of engaging with the community through science in 2025! From Kooky Spooky at the Children’s ExpERIEnce Museum to Gannon’s Give Day, and through local and national ACS events like National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Day, we’re bringing chemistry to life for learners of all ages Through service-learning programs like Feeding Minds and Families, our community impact extends even further. Faculty and students also helped middle school students explore the fascinating world of nanotechnology, applying what they learn in class to communicate chemistry to a broader audience. These hands-on experiences keep our students curious, creative, and connected, and show that Gannon Chemistry and Biochemistry is making an impact every day.
Students&facultypresentresearch regionalandnationalmeetings
OurstudentsandfacultycontinuetorepresentGannonUniversityat regionalandnationalscientificmeetings.
EmilySchuerenandresearchadvisorDr.RiaBetushpresented their work, “Modifications of Fmoc-Phe hydrogel variants with different cargo interactions,” at the 269th American Chemical SocietyNationalMeetingandExpositioninSanDiego,CA.
Moira Stanisch and Grace Ochs, working with Dr. Matthew Heerboth,presented“Determinationoftitratableacidityinbeer:An acid-basetitrationexperimentforthegeneralchemistrylaboratory” at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research in Pittsburgh,PA.
TienLuu,alongwithDr.RiaBetush,presented“Investigationof cationicfluorenylmethoxycarbonylphenylalaninehydrogelswith differentC-terminuslinkers”atthe54thAnnualCentralRegional MeetingoftheAmericanChemicalSocietyinPittsburgh,PA.
Student travel was supported by the Gannon University Student Government Association, J.J. Duratz Grants, and the Department of ChemistryandBiochemistry.
StrengtheningtheStudentExperience: InnovatingOurCurriculum
A G E 5
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry continues to enhance courses for majors and non-majors alike. Lab courses for health profession students now include experiments that connect directly to their future careers, and CHEM 338: Analytical Chemistry Lab has been streamlined into a one-credit course by Dr. Weslene Tallmadge and CHEM 418: Special Topics in Chemistry has been added as a required course. Students in spring 2025 learned all about the Chemistry of Baking from Dr. Ria Betush. Faculty also developed courses as part of Gannon’s liberal studies vocational core including CHEM 400: Communicating Chemistry, a professional communications course that strengthens students’ written and oral skills for careers, graduate study, and outreach, and Drs. Saber and Nogaj contributed to a science-focused Leadership and Ethics course
ChemistryinConversation:School ofScienceSpeakerSeries
TheDepartmentofChemistryandBiochemistry,alongwiththe ChemistryClubandGammaSigmaEpsilon,sponsoredseveral engagingtalksaspartoftheSchoolofSciencesSeminarSeriesand co-hostedlocalAmericanChemicalSocietyspeakermeetingson Gannon’scampus.
Alumniandfacultysharedtheirexperiencesandexpertise,inspiring currentstudentsandthewidercommunity.
Dr.KatieKapp(‘17),currentlyaPropelPostdoctoralScholarinthe DepartmentofRadiologyatStanfordUniversitySchoolofMedicine, gaveaninsightfultalkonherjourneyfromfirst-generationstudent toStanfordUniversitypostdoctoralresearcher,highlightinghowher GannonexperiencepreparedherforgraduateschoolinCountry Strong:HowaFarmKidBecameaChemist.UniversityofAkron graduatestudentChadStudvick(‘21)spokeaboutexploringthe elementsatthebottomoftheperiodictableduringtheErieLocal Section’shybridmeetingcelebratingNationalChemistryWeek 2024.
SpeakersincludedDr.ChristineSaber,whodiscussedherwork withtheChemistryOlympiadatbothlocalandnationallevels,and Dr.ScottWilliams,UniversityofRochesterProfessorofInorganic Chemistry,whopresentedDevelopingM andtheResurgenceofAnalogPhotogra Throughthesetalks,ourstudentscontin andprofessionals,gaininginsight,inspir perspectivesonchemistryinaction.
FacultyHonoredforACSService
Congratulations to our faculty for their outstanding contributions to the Erie Local Section of the American Chemical Society! Dr. Christine Saber was named 2025 Outreach Volunteer of the Year for her exceptional efforts in conducting outreach and teaching the public about chemistry. In 2024, Dr. Betty Jo Chitester received the same honor, and Dr. Kellie Brosius-Jircitano was recognized as Member of the Year for her dedicated service. These awards highlight the dedication of our faculty in bringing chemistry to the community and inspiring learners of all ages.
The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry continues to foster a vibrant and supportive community where students and faculty connect both inside and outside the classroom. Throughout the year, the Department hosted events such as facultysponsored potlucks, Chemistry and Biochemistry Thanksgiving Engagement Lunch, Mole Day Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream Socials, and the annual Senior Send-Off and Awards Luncheon, celebrating achievements and building connections across all class years. These gatherings, along with the Department’s welcoming culture and mentorship, reflect our commitment to student engagement, collaboration, and a shared passion for exploring the chemical sciences.
AdvancingLearningandDiscovery: NewInstrumentsforChemistry
Faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry continue to expand learning and research opportunities through new instrumentation grants. Drs. Ria Betush and Keith Krise received a Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grant to purchase equipment that enhances experiments in the analytical and organic chemistry laboratories. Dr. Christine Saber was awarded a College Equipment Grant from the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh (SSP) to support instrumentation upgrades in the instructional organic chemistry labs, enriching students’ experience with advanced spectroscopic methods. In addition, Dr. Lisa Nogaj secured funding from the Orris C. & Beatrice Dewey Hirtzel Memorial Foundation to acquire an atomic force microscope and nanoparticle tracking analysis instrument for nanoparticle identification and characterization, advancing student and faculty research in the the Department’s Dr. Carl Hultman Nanotechnology Lab.
FacultyMakinganImpactThroughScholarship
This past year, faculty in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have made significant contributions to scholarship. Dr. Weslene Tallmadge published “Glaciers: Hot Topic, Cool Chemistry! Save the Glaciers” in Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) 2025 Celebrating Chemistry. She also presented RAMP in Outreach Educational Programs at the University of Arkansas and co-produced the ACS Outreach Training Program: Safety in Outreach Settings video, developing scripts, slides, and recordedpresentationalongsideDr.BettyJoChitester.
Dr. Lisa Nogaj was invited to the American Chemical Society Central Regional Meeting (CERM) in Pittsburgh, where she presented a poster, “Career Pathways in Chemistry: Balancing the Transition into New Leadership Roles,” and served as a panelist for the Undergraduate Career Panel. Drs.Nogaj, Krise, and Aoh (Biology) also presented research at the ACS 269th National Meeting and Exposition on “Impact of ServiceLearning on Perceptions of STEM Outreach for Chemistry Majors” in both oralandSci-Mixpostersessions.
Dr. Ria Betush co-presented the workshop “Fueling Education Transformation: The Dynamic Chemistry of Community-Based Learning” at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education 2024 in Louisville, KY, while Dr. Aaron Fields-Forbes presented “Utilizing a Background Steeped in Both Synthetic and Computational Methodology to Provide an Eclectic Experience for Undergraduate Research” at a Erie ACS Meeting. Dr. Keith Krise co-authored “The Chemistry of Developing Photographs” inNationalChemistryWeek2024CelebratingChemistry.
Dr. Christine Saber presented “Chemistry Olympiad Training at the Regional, National, and International Level: Finding Balance Between Scientific Education, Motivation, and Excitement” at a Erie ACS Meeting. Her presentation highlighted strategies for engaging and motivating students while providing rigorous scientific training at multiple levels of theChemistryOlympiadprogram.
ServingScienceBeyondthe Classroom
FacultyinGannon’sDepartmentofChemistryandBiochemistrycontinuetolead withintheAmericanChemicalSociety(ACS)atbothlocalandnationallevels.Drs. RiaBetush,BettyJoChitester,MatthewHeerboth,KeithKrise,andChristine Saberserveon theErieLocalSectionExecutiveCommittee.Drs.BettyJo ChitesterandWesleneTallmadgeserveasfullmembersofthenationalACS CommitteeonCommunityActivities,withDr.Krisecurrentlychairingthat committee.Throughtheseleadershiproles,ourfacultybringcurrent,relevant, andinclusivescientificperspectivesbacktotheclassroomandourstudents.
Dr.RiaBetush,Dr.KellieBrosius,Dr.BettyJoChitester, Dr.AaronFields-Forbes,Dr.MatthewHeerboth,Dr.Keith Krise(Chair),Dr.LisaNogaj(AssociateDean,SchoolofSciences),Dr.ChristineSaber,Dr.NatalieStano(University AcademicSafetyOfficer),Dr.WesleneTallmadge.
Staff
Mr.JerryPhelps(LaboratoryCoordinator)
AdjunctFaculty
Mr.ShawnFeiock,Ms.MadisonHarrier,Mr.JerryPhelps
AbouttheDepartment
TheDepartmentofChemistryandBiochemistryatGannonUniversity,locatedonthefourthflooroftheZurn ScienceCenter,offersACS-approvedundergraduateprogramsleadingtoBachelorofSciencedegreesin chemistryandbiochemistry.WealsopartnerwiththeUniversityofPittsburghforacooperativechemical engineeringprogram,allowingstudentstoearndualdegreesinchemistryandchemicalengineering. Gannonstudentsexperienceanationallyrecognizedcurriculumwithflexibilitytoexplorerelatedscientificfields. Theythriveinsmallclasses,workcloselywithdedicatedfaculty,andengageininteractivelabsandoriginal researchthatpreparethemforgraduatestudyandprofessionalsuccess
