Department of Chemistry

Chemistry Faculty and Staff Directory

Tenured Faculty

Professional headshot of Theresa McCormick.

Dr. Theresa McCormick

Department of Chemistry Chair
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. | Queen's University, Kingston Ontario, 2008
Postdoctoral Fellow | NSERC, University of Rochester, 2009-2010
Postdoctoral Fellow | University of Toronto, 2011-2013

503-725-2332
t.m.mccormick@pdx.edu

Visit McCormick Lab page
Ligand design and metal complexes for solar energy conversion and chiral recognition

I am accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Dean Atkinson Headshot

Dr. Dean B. Atkinson

Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. | University of Arizona, 1995

503-725-3154
atkinsond@pdx.edu

Visit Atkinson Lab page 
Applications of new measurement technology to environmental problems

I am not accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Professional headshot of Jack Barbera

Dr. Jack Barbera

Professor of Chemistry Education
Ph.D. Chemistry | University of Colorado - Boulder, 2007

503-725-7730
jack.barbera@pdx.edu

Visit Barbera Lab page
Chemistry education research focusing on the development and evaluation of educational assessments and their use in measuring the effectiveness of pedagogical practice

I am accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Andrea Goforth professional headshot

Dr. Andrea Mitchell Goforth

Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. | University of South Carolina, 2005
Postdoctoral Research | University of California at Davis, 2005-2008

503-725-3838
amgofort@pdx.edu

Visit Goforth Lab page
Synthetic development, property control, analytical characterization and application of surface-tailored, size-controlled inorganic nanoparticles for biomedical imaging and nanoscale electronics

Headshot of Dirk Iwata-Reuyl, he is a white man with short grey hair and a beard and mustache. He is wearing a black backpack, a grey t-shirt, and clear framed glasses. He is smiling and leaning forward towards the camera with water as a backdrop.

Dr. Dirk Iwata-Reuyl

Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. | The Johns Hopkins University, 1992
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow 1992-1994, University of Utah

503-725-5737
iwatareuyld@pdx.edu

Visit Iwata-Reuyl Lab page
Biological and bioorganic chemistry, mechanistic enzymology, modification of RNA

I am not accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Tami in front of colorful stripes

Dr. Tami Lasseter Clare

Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. Chemistry | University of Wisconsin - Madison, 2005
Postdoctoral study | Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2008

503-725-2887
claret@pdx.edu

Visit Clare Lab page
Developing methods to conserve material cultural heritage

I am accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Professional headshot of Kevin Reynolds

Dr. Kevin A. Reynolds

Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D.| University of South Hampton
Postdoctoral Fellowship | University of Washington, 1987-1989

503-725-3886
reynoldsk@pdx.edu

Visit Reynolds Lab page
Antimalarial drug applications

I am not accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Robert Strongin, a white man with grey hair smiling at the camera in front of a green background.

Dr. Robert Strongin

Professor of Organic Chemistry
Ph.D.| University of Pennsylvania, 1995

503-725-9724
strongin@pdx.edu

Visit Strongin Lab page
Synthesis and evaluation of novel redox and chromophore materials

I am not accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

DStuart_headshot2

Dr. David Stuart

Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. | University of Ottawa, 2010
Postdoctoral Fellow | NSERC, Harvard University, 2010-2012

503-725-2696
dstuart@pdx.edu

Visit Stuart Lab page
Development of arylation and aryne chemistry with I(III) and S(IV) reagents and mechanistic analysis.

I am accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Mark Woods, a thin white man with short brown hair.

Dr. Mark Woods

Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. | Durham University, 1998
TMS Research Fellow, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 1999

503-725-8238
mark.woods@pdx.edu

Visit Woods Lab page
Focus on both fundamental and practical aspects of developing improved molecular imaging probes

I am accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Research Faculty, Staff, and Postdocs

Dr. Papireddy 'Reddy' Kancharla

Research Assistant Professor
Ph.D. Chemistry | Acharya Nagarjuna University, 2010
M.Sc. Organic Chemistry | Osmania University, 2003
B.Sc. Chemistry | Osmania University, 2001
papiredd@pdx.edu

Dr. Jane X. Kelly

Research Professor
Ph.D. Chemistry | Portland State University, 2002
M.S. Chemistry | Portland State University, 1998
B.S. Physical Chemistry | Xiamen University, 1991
kellyja@ohsu.edu

Dr. Wentai Luo

Senior Research Associate
Ph.D. Environmental Science & Engineering | Oregon Graduate Institute, 1996
M.S. Chemistry | East China Institute of Technology, 1986
B.S. Chemical Engineering | East China Institute of Technology, 1983
wentai@pdx.edu

Dr. Shankar B. Rananavare

Research Associate Professor of Chemistry
Ph.D. | University of Missouri, St. Louis, 1983
ranavas@pdx.edu

I am accepting graduate students for Fall 2026.

Instructional Faculty

Shuvasree Ray, Ph.D.

Teaching Assistant Professor & Laboratory Coordinator - Organic Chemistry
Ph.D. Organic and Supramolecular Chemistry | University of Miami, 2009
M.S. Chemistry | Indian Institute of Technology, 2004
B.S. Chemistry | University of Calcutta, 2002
shuvray@pdx.edu

Eric Sheagley, Ph.D.

Teaching Assistant Professor & Laboratory Coordinator - General Chemistry
Ph.D. Chemistry | University of Oregon, 2003
B.S. Chemistry & Biology | Univ. of So. Colorado, 1995
sheagley@pdx.edu

Adjunct Faculty

Angela Horgan, Ph.D., RD, LD

Angela Horgan, Ph.D., RD, LD
Adjunct Assistant Professor - Nutrition
RD | Oregon Health & Science University, 2005
Ph.D. Cell Biology | Oregon Health & Science University, 1999
B.S. Biology | Purdue University, 1991
ahorgan@pdx.edu

Adriana Lunsford, M.Ed.

Adjunct Instructor - Introductory Chemistry
M.Ed. Curriculum & Instruction | Texas A&M University, 2013
B.S. Chemistry | UC Irvine, 2010
adriana.lunsford@pdx.edu

 

Julie Peyton, M.S.

Adjunct Instructor - Introductory Chemistry
M.A. Biochemistry | UC Santa Barbara, 1981
M.S. Civil/Environmental Engineering | UC Davis, 1988
peytonj@pdx.edu

Patrick Poletti, Ph.D.

Adjunct Assistant Professor - General Chemistry
Ph.D. Chemistry | Portland State University, 2018
polettip@pdx.edu

 

David Reingold, Ph.D.

Adjunct Assistant Professor - Scientific Glassblowing
Ph.D. | University of Oregon, 1976
A.B.| Dartmouth College, 1971
reingold@pdx.edu

Kenneth Strothkamp, Ph.D.

Adjunct Assistant Professor - Preparatory & General Chemistry
Ph.D. Chemistry | Columbia University, 1973
B.S. Chemistry | The City College of New York, 1968
k.strothkamp@pdx.edu

Emeritus Faculty

Emeritus Faculty are no longer accepting graduate students. 

Dr. Albert S. Benight

Professor of Chemistry - Biophysical Chemistry of biological macromolecules with applications in Biotechnology
Ph.D. | Georgia Institute of Technology, 1983
Postdoctoral Fellow | University of Washington, 1983-1986
503-725-9513
abenight@pdx.edu

Dr. John Perona

Professor of Environmental Biochemistry - Life processes on the early anaerobic Earth; Synthetic biology of protein translation; Integrating science, law and policy for sustainability
Ph.D. | Yale University, 1990
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow 1990-1994 | University of California, San Francisco
503-725-2426
perona@pdx.edu

Dr. Gwen Shusterman

Professor of Chemistry - Instructional development and STEM equity and inclusion
Ph.D. | University of California at Berkeley, 1983
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California at Berkeley, 1983-1984
503-725-3897
shustermang@pdx.edu

Office Staff

Sarah Bartlett

Department Manager                     
SRTC 262
503-725-2310
sbart2@pdx.edu

Reina Tan

Department Manager                     
SRTC 262
503-725-8744
reina2@pdx.edu

Bailey Butts

Office Coordinator               
SRTC 134
503-725-3812
dbb2@pdx.edu

Isabella Connelly

Office Coordinator                                           
SRTC 134B
503-725-8756
isab26@pdx.edu

Monica Ito

Office Coordinator                   
SRTC 246
503-725-8757
monito@pdx.edu

 

Chemistry Stockroom & Laboratory Support Staff

Kirk Fisher

RLSB Stockroom Manager            
503-725-7725
kfisher@pdx.edu

Leroy Laush

Instrument Technician, Science Shop
503-725-3832
laushl@pdx.edu

Nic Meier

SRTC Stockroom Manager
503-725-4273
nicolasm@pdx.edu

Joshua Murray

Science Lab Preparator
503-725-4273
murray8@pdx.edu

Ashley Wase

Inventory Manager & Stockroom Associate
503-725-4273
jawase@pdx.edu

Postdocs

Dr. Amrenda Kumar

Postdoctoral Researcher in Kancharla Lab

Dr. Mahesh Gaddam

Postdoctoral Researcher in Kancharla Lab

Dr. Sivanna Chithanna

Postdoctoral Researcher in Kancharla Lab

Dr. Vanessa Johnson

Postdoctoral Researcher in Lasseter Clare Lab.

Link to faculty intranet