Welcome to the Web site for the Coe College Department of Chemistry. Coe’s mission is to "provide students an education of superior quality that aims at preparing them for life following graduation." The chemistry department seeks to support that mission by providing students with top-quality instruction and research opportunities. A degree in chemistry from Coe will allow students to pursue a wide variety of opportunities, ranging from careers in local industry to graduate work at top research universities around the world. Many graduates have also found that a chemistry degree is excellent preparation for medical school, Pharm.D. programs, and other health-related areas. For more information, explore the site or contact anyone in our department.

• Maria Dean – Associate Professor (biochemistry) and Pre-health advisor
• Susan Noreuil – Science Teaching Associate
• Steve Singleton – Associate Professor (physical)
• Marty St. Clair – Associate Professor (analytical, inorganic) and Chair
• Scott Stoudt – Associate Professor (organic)

News

• Seventeen students took part in summer research in chemistry during the summer of 2006. (A total of 88 students have participated in chemistry summer research over the past five years!)  Besides many hours of work in the lab, faculty and students also took time for seminars (with snacks), the Cedar Rapids Kernels minor league baseball team, and a day at Professor Herron's beach front home. Funding for the students came from the National Science Foundation, the American Chemical Society's Petroleum Research Fund, Research Corporation, the city of Cedar Rapids Water Department, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Roy J. Carver Foundation, and Coe.
• The Chemistry department was fortunate to be able hire three very qualified individuals to fill in while Professors Stoudt and Singleton are on well-deserved sabbaticals.  The department welcomes back Dr. Jeff Keiser, who taught organic chemistry at Coe for many years prior to moving into industrial research at Penford Products.  Dr. Keiser is teaching Organic Chemistry II.  Also returning to Coe is Dr. John Kirk (Coe '00).  After completing a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry at the University of Illinois, Dr. Kirk is teaching and doing research in chemical education at the University of Iowa, as well as teaching Advanced Analytical Chemistry at Coe.  Finally, Dr. Idil Apak Evans is teaching Selected Concepts in Chemistry and Organic Chemistry Laboratory.  Dr. Evans is an NIH post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Iowa, but is on leave to teach at Coe for the semester.

Coe Chemistry in Atlanta - The chemistry department was well-represented at the 231st National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Atlanta from March 26-30 this year. Presenters included (l to r): Lizzie (Johnson) Gibson, graduate student at the University of Iowa; Josh Dettman, Carroll College senior who was a Coe REU participant in the summer of 2005; Jess Brownell, Coe senior who participated in an REU program at the University of Minnesota; Professor Marty St. Clair, who presented work from his current sabbatical; Sharon Beetner, graduate student at the University of Wisconsin; Paul Munson, Coe senior, who presented his work with Professor Scott Stoudt.