معرفی
Karen Stevens is a Professor of Chemistry at Whitworth University since 1995, affiliated with the Department of Chemistry. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. from Rice University and a B.S. from Marquette University. Her research focuses on physical chemistry, particularly vibrational spectroscopy and molecular dynamics analysis. She has developed novel methods for analyzing vibrational modes in molecules like hydrogen cyanide and acetylene, creating algorithms for spectral assignments. Stevens also emphasizes chemical education, pioneering lab techniques using everyday items like Kool-Aid and implementing pandemic-era socially distanced laboratory instruction.
- Education:
- Ph.D., M.A., Rice University
- B.S., Marquette University
Her research interests include quantum chemistry applications, spectroscopic analysis techniques, and optimizing undergraduate laboratory curricula. She has secured significant NSF grants for advanced laboratory equipment (ArF laser, FT-NMR spectrometer) and published extensively in Journal of Chemical Education and Journal of Physics and Chemistry. Stevens' pedagogical work explores technology integration in lower-division courses and active-learning strategies.
Key awards include the Whitworth College Teaching Excellence Award (2003), Harry B. Weiser Scholarships in research and teaching, and a Robert A. Welch Fellowship. She reviews for prominent journals like Journal of Chemical Education and serves in academic honor societies.
Stevens has taught courses ranging from general chemistry to advanced topics like Thermochemistry and Quantum Chemistry. Her research team focuses on vibrational energy states analysis and polymerization mechanisms, with recent work adapting laboratory experiments under pandemic constraints through innovative 3D-printed equipment solutions.
