Faculty

Chemistry
Department

vassar.edu/chemistry

The department offers lecture and laboratory experiences in all major areas of chemistry—general, organic, physical, inorganic, biochemical, analytical—and in many special topics of chemistry, such as structural, polymer, protein, organometallic, computational, and environmental. The department offers a degree accredited by the American Chemical Society. Independent research in chemistry is encouraged at all levels to provide students with the opportunity to work directly with a faculty member and to gain experience using sophisticated instrumentation, such as a Bruker Avance 300-MHz NMR, Agilent quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) LC-MS, and a Bruker APEX-DUO dual source (Mo and Cu) CCD X-ray diffractometer, as well as ICP/AE, GC/MS, FTIR, Raman, UV/Vis, XRF, circular dichroism and fluorescence spectroscopy. Options include the major, an interdepartmental major (biochemistry), and a correlate sequence. A senior thesis based on a research project is required.

Professor and Chair of Chemistry
BS, Fairleigh Dickinson University; MS, Vassar College; PhD, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Lecturer and Lab Coordinator in Chemistry
BS, SUNY at Binghamton; PhD, University at Buffalo
Dean of Strategic Planning and Academic Resources and Associate Professor of Chemistry
BA, Vassar College; PhD, University of California-Berkeley
Associate Professor of Chemistry
BE, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art; MA, PhD, Princeton University
Professor of Chemistry and Director of Biochemistry
Zachary J. Donhauser wearing a light blue shirt, navy blue sweater and dark gray jacket against a gray background.
BS, Providence College; PhD, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Person with brown short brown hair, tortoise shell glasses, white shirt with black blazer, smiling for a portrait.
BS, Colgate University; MS, PhD, University of California-San Diego
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Eric S. Eberhardt wearing a blue shirt and multi colored tie against a light background.
BS, St Lawrence University; PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Adjunct Instructor in Chemistry
BA, MSEd, Mount Saint Mary College
Lecturer in Chemistry
BS, Massachusetts Institute of Technology; PhD, Rice University
Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry
BS, Hobart William Smith Colleges; PhD, University of Vermont
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Chemistry
BS, MS, PhD, Guru Nanak Dev University
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Director of Environmental Studies
Alison Spodek Keimowitz wearing an aqua colored shirt against a brown background.
BA, Wesleyan University; MPhil, Columbia University in the City of New York; MS, Yale University; PhD, Columbia University in the City of New York
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Pictured: Chi-Lin O'Young. A portrait of a person with glasses, dark hair, and a blue suit.
BS, MS, National Tsing Hua University Taiwan; PhD, Columbia University in the City of New York
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Portrait of a smiling person with long brown hair, glasses, and a blue shirt.
BS, University of Tulsa; PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Chemistry
BA, Saint Michaels College; MS, PhD, Ohio State University-Main Campus
Adjunct Instructor in Chemistry
Portrait of Anthony Scaduto. Person with grey hair and glasses wearing a black suit and tie with a yellow shirt.
BS, Pace University-New York; MS, Polytechnic Institute of New York University
Professor of Chemistry on the Matthew Vassar, Jr. Chair
BA, Vassar College; PhD, Cornell University
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Person with long curly brown hair standing in front of a book case.
BS, Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus; PhD, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Emeriti

Stuart L. Belli , PhD
Associate Professor Emeritus of Chemistry (1986–2024)
Christina N. Hammond , MS
Lecturer Emerita of Chemistry (1971–2006)
David Nellis , MS
Senior Lecturer Emeritus of Chemistry (1999–2021)
Edith C. Stout , MA
Senior Lecturer Emerita of Chemistry (1984–2010)