Ph.D., University of Wyoming, 1994
B.A., Chadron State College, 1989

I received a BA in Chemistry and Mathematics from Chadron State College in Chadron, Nebraska. I enjoyed the small class sizes and the one-on-one interaction with the faculty during my undergraduate experience. I then went on to the University of Wyoming for a PhD in Analytical Chemistry. I worked on a project to develop fiber optic monitors from contaminates in ground water. This sparked my interest in environmental chemistry. I also taught undergraduate laboratories and really enjoyed my teaching experiences. My husband got a job at Ford and we moved out to Michigan for 5 years. I taught General Chemistry, Natural Science, Quantitative Analysis, and Environmental Chemistry at University of Michigan-Dearborn and Washtenaw Community College. I worked on a research project to examine the water quality of the Rouge River using Ion Chromatography and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy. I missed the Western friendliness and blue skies and was very glad to move to Colorado. I took a job at Red Rocks Community College in 2001 and I feel this institution offers the best of a lot of worlds. I like the small class size that allows me to get to know the students in my classes and I like our location that attracts many traditional and nontraditional students with a wide variety of interests.
 

Brandon English
Faculty, Chemistry

Ph.D.,Colorado State University, 2010
B.S., The Pennsylvania State University, 2003

I began my career as an intern in the pharmaceutical industry developing new drugs for the treatment of viral diseases. After returning to Penn State I had the opportunity to work in the Weinreb group investigating the total synthesis of biologically active natural products. In 2003 I moved to Colorado State University where I studied the biosynthesis and total synthesis of the plant-derived secologanin alkaloids. During graduate school I had the opportunity to teach at CSU and several local community colleges and my career made an abrupt turn toward teaching. After finishing my Ph.D. and an intense two year teaching position at Colorado College I moved to Red Rocks. The student-focused environment, small class sizes (I shared some of my classes at Penn State with 1900 other students), the diverse student body, and the proximity to the mountains of Colorado make Red Rocks an ideal setting for me.