Faculty

Heather Edvenson

Lab Manager, Chief Safety Officer, Chemistry Instructor

Heather Edvenson received her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Coe College. She earned a masters degree from Cornell University. Prior to returning to Coe, Heather had various roles in chemistry higher education and informal education. Heather’s areas of interest include science communication, informal education, and chemical safety.

Steve Singleton

Dave Mehaffey and Stanley Watkins Professor of Chemistry, Physical Chemistry

Steve received his undergraduate chemistry education from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. He completed his Ph.D. at the University of Denver, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the Phillips Geophysics Air Force Laboratory in Massachusetts. Steve's research interests include using time-resolved laser spectroscopy to study glassy materials and atmospheric kinetics. He is also active in chemical education research.

Scott Stoudt

Ben Peterson Associate Professor in Organic Chemistry, Chair

Scott received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Penn State in 1989. Scott then obtained his Ph.D. in physical organic/inorganic chemistry from Michigan State in 1995. His interests include the structure and dynamics of hypervalent (more than four bonds) main group compounds. 

Chris Stead

Assistant Professor, Biochemistry

Chris received his Master of Chemistry from the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology in England, and completed his Ph.D. in biochemistry at the Medical College of Georgia. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories, he taught at New Mexico Highlands University before coming to Coe. His research has focused on bacterial pathogenesis, and he now studies the metabolism of C. burnetii, a bacterium which causes Q fever.

Maria Dean

Professor, Biochemistry

Maria received her bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs in 1985. She went on to complete her Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln in 1991. Her research involves the study of two sea worm biocements. Phragmatopoma lapidosa (reef building worm) and Pectinaria gouldii (ice cream cone worm) make protective coverings using sand or coral and a biocement produced by the sea worms. She uses the tools of molecular biology as well as advanced microscopic techniques to study these materials.  

Susan Noreuil

Science Teaching Associate 
and Chemical Hygiene Officer

Susan Noreuil (science teaching associate and chemical hygiene officer) received her bachelor's degree in medical technology, with minors in chemistry and biology, from Illinois State in 1982. She worked as a medical technologist at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids for several years and advises students in pursuing clinical laboratory technology.

Marty St. Clair

Professor, Analytical Chemistry

Marty received his undergraduate degree in chemistry and environmental studies from Butler University in 1983. He completed his graduate work in organometallic chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1989. Marty directed the Environmental Engineering Laboratory in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Iowa prior to joining the Coe faculty in 1993. His interests include water quality monitoring and remediation.