Erica Schultz

Erica Schultz is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Lake Forest College. She holds a B.A. from Macalester College (2008), Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley (2014), and completed postdoctoral research at Harvard University (2014-2017). Her specialization encompasses organic chemistry, synthesis and reaction development, biochemistry, biocatalysis, and biosynthesis.

Professor Schultz teaches undergraduate courses including Biochemistry (Chem 300), Biochemistry Lab (Chem 300 Lab), Organic Chemistry II (Chem 221), and Organic Chemistry II Lab (Chem 221 Lab). Her research focuses on developing novel synthetic methodologies, enzymatic reaction mechanisms, and natural product biosynthesis, with particular expertise in biocatalytic transformations and heterocyclic compound synthesis.

Her publication record demonstrates consistent research productivity spanning biocatalysis, enzyme characterization, and innovative synthetic methods. Recent work explores environmentally friendly chemical transformations (2022), enzymatic Friedel-Crafts alkylations (2019), and cyanobacterial enzyme mechanisms (2018). Earlier research developed rhodium-catalyzed synthesis of nitrogen heterocycles and studied alkaloid biosynthesis pathways.