Axe ’Em, Jacks!
Faculty with a wide range of experience and expertise
Lumberjacks who pursue a chemistry or biochemistry degree will work in the classroom and side-by-side with professors who are passionate about science and who truly love teaching. As a major, you'll have the opportunity to participate in classwork, fieldwork and real-world research projects that use your knowledge to solve problems and overcome challenges related to the environment, health care, food, energy and more.
Dr. Michael Janusa
Dr. Janusa’s research interests include environmental science, particularly water, soil and air quality involving metals and anions. His most recent research involves a study of local water quality in Lanana Creek and the Nacogdoches Surface Water Treatment Plant. Janusa holds a patent in complexing heavy metals with bagasse, a sugar cane byproduct.
Janusa teaches general chemistry, inorganic, analytical and environmental chemistry at SFA. He co-developed i-assign.com, an online homework system, and he is the author of an e-textbook, “Chemistry: The Core Concepts, Part I and II.” Janusa holds a BS from Louisiana Tech University and a PhD from Louisiana State University.
Dr. Michele Harris
2008 Teaching Excellence Award Recipient
Dr. Harris’ primary research interest is biochemistry, and her most recent research has involved biotransformation using whole plant cells. Harris holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Central Oklahoma and a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Arkansas.
Dr. Brian Barngrover
2021 Teaching Excellence Award Recipient
Dr. Barngrover’s research emphasizes computational chemistry, with an emphasis on thiolate-protected noble metal nanoparticles, which have applications in drug delivery and therapy, catalysts, sensors, electronics and optics. He holds a BS in forensic science and biomedical chemistry from Kansas Wesleyan University and a PhD in physical chemistry from Kansas State University.
Dr. Alyx Frantzen
2007 Teaching Excellence Award Recipient
Dr. Frantzen earned a BS in mathematics and chemistry from Texas Lutheran University. She holds an MS in mathematics and chemistry and a PhD in physical chemistry from New Mexico State University. Her primary research involves clays and phylloaluminoscillates, and many of her projects involve the study of the surface volatility of invasive plant species in East Texas.
Dr. Russell Franks
Dr. Franks holds a bachelor's and a master's in chemistry from SFA (Axe ‘em, Jacks!), and he earned his PhD in organic chemistry from the University of Oklahoma. His research interests include the synthesis and study of the chemical and physical properties of biodiesel fuels made from plant- and animal-derived tryglyceride sources. He teaches general chemistry and organic chemistry classes at SFA.
Dr. Darrell Fry
Dr. Fry’s areas of interest include fluorescent probes, porphyrins as chemical sensors and chemical education. He holds a bachelor's from SFA and a PhD in analytical chemistry from the University of Arkansas.
Dr. Odutayo Odunuga
Dr. ‘Tayo Odunuga joined SFA’s chemistry department after completing his PhD in biochemistry and molecular biology at Rhodes University and post-doctoral work at the University of Cape Town, both in South Africa and at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. His research interests include chaperones in health and diseases, biochemical mechanisms of the pathogenesis of the Ellis van Creveld syndrome and screening of small molecule inhibitors for pathogenic proteins.
Dr. Kefa Onchoke
2014-15 SFASU Foundation Faculty Achievement Research Award Recipient
Dr. Onchoke holds a bachelor's in chemistry from the University of Nairobi, a Master's in analytical chemistry from Hampton University, and a PhD in analytical chemistry from The Ohio State University. His research and areas of interest are focused on food chemistry, water chemistry, environmental toxicants, mutagens and carcinogens.
Dr. Matibur Zamadar
Dr. Zamadar joined SFA’s chemistry department after completing his second postdoctoral research work at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He earned his bachelor of science and master of science in India from the University of Calcutta and the Indian Institute of Technology, respectively, and he holds a PhD in organic chemistry from the City University of New York. His research interests and recent projects involve designing and synthesizing new photosensitizer molecules for use in solar energy or biomedical applications.
Caroline (Carrie) Stover
Carrie Stover earned her B.A. in history from Ashford University. She is currently pursuing her Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree at SFA.
Amy Calhoun
Inventory Control Specialist
Amy Calhoun holds bachelor's degrees in chemistry and speech communication and a master's degree in chemistry from SFA. Her 18-year teaching career includes faculty positions at Panola College and Tatum High School.
Dr. Bidisha Sengupta
Dr. Sengupta received a BS in chemistry, a MS in biophysics and a doctoral degree from the University of Calcutta in India. She completed her postdoctoral research in the biophysics division at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics in India, Chalmers University in Sweden and Furman University. She previously served as an associate professor of chemistry at Tougaloo College. Sengupta has served as an assistant professor in SFA’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry since 2019.
Dr. Rashad Mia
Dr. Mia’s research interests are in the field of inorganic and supramolecular chemistry which includes inorganic and organic synthesis, structural elucidation, coordination and host-guest chemistry and optical spectroscopy. Mia’s group is involved in design and synthesis of colorimetric or fluorescent chemosensors (organic molecules) to detect toxic analytes i.e., biologically, and environmentally important anions, toxic metals, neutral molecules, organophosphates by monitoring spectroscopic response (UV-vis, Fluorescence, NMR, esi-MS). Mia’s group is interested in both small molecular (such as coumarin derivatives) or macrocyclic (pillar[n]arene) chemosensors. These chemosensors are simple and fast and can be utilized as portable devices for remote/onsite sensing, cell imaging, ion transfer, gas storage, material chemistry and nanomaterials.
Dr. Mia holds a BS and MS in chemistry from the University of Dhaka in Dhaka, Bangladesh and a PhD in chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Catherine Kwiatkowski
Catherine Kwiatkowski taught in public schools for over twenty years before coming to SFA as a lecturer to teach introductory chemistry and other courses for non-majors. She has been at SFA since 2017.
Contact
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
936.468.3606
chemistry@sfasu.edu
Physical Address:
Bush Mathematical Sciences Building
Suite 108
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 13006, SFA Station
Nacogdoches, Texas 75962-3006