Bretta King

Bretta King is an Assistant Professor of Teaching and Undergraduate Advisor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Memphis. With 30 years of teaching experience in mathematics, chemistry, and physics at both high school and college levels, she has worked in virtual and in-person environments and collaborated with institutions such as NASA, CDC, and Los Alamos National Laboratory. She has also taught internationally in Malawi and Nigeria, focusing on curriculum development and teacher training.

• B.S. in Chemistry, Spelman College
• Second B.S. in Nutritional Science, Kaplan University
• M.S. in Chemical Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• M.A. in Education, University of Phoenix
• Ph.D. in Chemical Physics, Howard University

Dr. King’s research interests center on Chemical Physics, with a strong emphasis on science education and curriculum innovation. Her work spans interdisciplinary applications in chemistry, physics, and education, informed by her diverse teaching experiences across global contexts and her collaborations with national laboratories.

Her scientific awards and grants include:

• National Physical Science Consortium (NPSC) Fellowship (1992–1999)
• NOBCCHE Hercules Award (1997)
• ACS Environmental Initiative Fellowship (2002–2003)
• ACS Student Development & Engagement Alliance Grant (2003)
• Faculty Fellow of the Associated Colleges of the South (2002–2003)
• NASA Faculty Fellow (2004)
• IMPACT Educational Grant (2007)
• Earthwatch Foundation Grant (2007)
• IFESH Teacher of the Year (2010)
• Presidential Volunteer Award (2010)

Dr. King has extensive professional experience, including roles at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NIH Post-Doctoral Fellow), Spelman College (Assistant Professor), NASA Langley and Ames Research Center (Faculty Fellow), and Los Alamos National Laboratory (Intern). She has also contributed to international educational initiatives through the Heritage School Foundation in Beijing/Chicago.