Faculty and Staff of the Chemistry Department - Rockville Campus

BS, Chemistry, Brandeis University
PhD, George Washington University

Courses Taught
Spring 2019: CHEM 109 lecture/lab, CHEM 131 lecture/discussion/lab

Orlando Genovese-Stewart

PhD, Georgetown University; MS, Georgetown University; BS, University of Mary Washington

Email: orlando.genovesestewart@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC339

Biography

Educational Background

Ph.D. Chemistry, Georgetown University
M.S. Chemistry, Georgetown University
B.S. ACS-Certified Chemistry, University of Mary Washington

Background: My graduate research work focused on the synthesis and characterization of magnetic and semiconducting nanomaterials, specifically those with f-block elements.

Why teaching? I believe learning chemistry should be an exciting and rewarding experience. My goal when teaching is to establish strong student-professor partnerships and help my students reach their goals. I know that not every student will want to become a chemist, but I hope that the usual thought of, “Ugh, I hate chemistry,” will become, “You know, chemistry is pretty cool"" after taking my class.

Why MC?: The diverse population of students at MC brought me here. The many different academic backgrounds, life experiences, and academic goals is exciting to see and having the opportunity to teach a subject that connects us all, no matter our differences, makes being here even better.

Courses Taught

CHEM131
CHEM132

Virginia Miller

PhD, Princeton University

Email: virginia.miller@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-7621

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331L

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Biography

BS, Chemistry, Rider University
PhD, Chemistry, Princeton University

Courses Taught

CHEM109L
CHEM131
CHEM131+031
CHEM132

I believe in empowering students to take control of their learning and encouraging them to become strong independent thinkers who will analyze and challenge the world around them. My teaching style is governed by this philosophy and I embrace learning strategies that emphasize critical thinking, metacognition, self-motivation and self-reflection. I utilize a flipped-classroom technique which allows students to develop and refine their communication, team-work, and problem-solving/analytical skills so that they can be successful in the global and interdisciplinary community of modern science.

Abner Mintz

MS, California Institute of Technology

Email: abner.mintz@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-4236

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331D

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Educational Background

Educational Background

BS, Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University
BS, Physics, Pennsylvania State University
MS, Chemistry, California Institute of Technology

Courses Taught

CHEM099
CHEM131
CHEM132
CHEM135

I teach general chemistry (Chem 131, 132, and 099). Please get help as soon as you need it - we have office hours, free tutoring, review sessions and so much more! The only real limit on how much help you can get at MC is your willingness to come get help!

Rachel Ndonye

PhD, University of Connecticut

Email: rachel.ndonye@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-7636

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331G

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Educational Background

BS, Chemistry, University of Nairobi
PhD, Organic Chemistry, University of Connecticut

Courses Taught

CHEM099
CHEM150
CHEM203
CHEM204

I joined MC as a full-time faculty in fall 2006. I teach general and organic chemistry courses and serve on various department and college committees. I am actively involved in professional development activities and participate in professional organizations. Besides teaching, I have supervised undergraduate research projects. My interests focus on utilizing sustainable chemistry in preparation of organic compounds and extraction of natural products.

My teaching philosophy is to engage students in the learning process and foster development of necessary skills required to succeed and remain competitive in the workplace.

MC promotes collegial interactions and provides opportunities for professional growth.

Soumya Rastogi

PhD, Chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park

Email: soumya.rastogi@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-2318

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 338

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment

Educational Background

BSc, Chemistry, University of Delhi
MSc, Organic Chemistry, University of Delhi
PhD, Chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park

Courses Taught

CHEM131
CHEM132
CHEM203
CHEM272

I strongly believe that pedagogical practices are an evolving process. Therefore, I continue to experiment with different ideas and teaching techniques in my courses. Each batch of students in every course responds differently to the same techniques. Depending on the mood of the class, sometimes we pursue a discussion involving the entire class or, alternatively we try small-group activities. I also experiment with different assessment techniques to give my students ample opportunities to learn and assess their performance in the course.

Keeping students engaged in the course is important to me. To keep things from getting monotonous, I try involving day-to-day examples during lectures. When possible, I will include salient historic events to illustrate the relevance of what students are learning in the course and chemistry, in general.

I enjoy teaching at Montgomery College immensely due to the small class sizes. Small class sizes and diverse student population ensure meaningful student-instructor associations. It also eases the process of experimenting and implementing new practices.

The one thing I want students to know: Learn more about your learning and study habits. It can really empower your learning process!

Leah Scharlott

Ph.D., University of Iowa

Professor

Email: Leah.Scharlott@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-4098

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 335

Educational Background:

Ph.D. Chemistry – The University of Iowa

M.S. Chemistry – The University of Iowa

B.A. Chemistry – The College of Wooster

Biography

Throughout my career, I have been fascinated in studying how we teach and learn chemistry. I completed a Ph.D. in chemistry with a focus in chemistry education research and have been teaching chemistry ever since. I value the amazing diversity of the MC student body and am eager to create inclusive learning spaces that engage students in all the practices of science regardless of their major or career trajectory. I stay informed on the pedagogical practices that are emerging throughout the science education world and love to incorporate new techniques when appropriate for my courses. Overall, I like for my classroom to be a place where students ask big questions, create positive relationships, and most importantly, find confidence in doing science!

I believe that the possibilities of a classroom are endless and I value the voices of students very much. Please feel free to email me with any ideas you have for the chemistry classroom!

Sripriya Seetharaman

PhD, Syracuse University

Email: sripriya.seetharaman@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-7622

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331K

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Educational Background

BS, Chemistry, University of Madras, Chennai, India
MS, Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology (Chennai), Chennai, India
PhD, Organometallic Chemistry, Syracuse University

Courses Taught
Spring 2019: CHEM 204 lecture/discussion/lab

Nevart Tahmazian

MS, University of Maryland, College Park

Email: nevart.tahmazian@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-7635

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331J

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Educational Background

BS, Chemistry (with teaching diploma in science education), American University of Beirut
MA, Chemical Education, American University of Beirut
MS, Chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park

Courses Taught

CHEM109
CHEM109L
CHEM131+031
CHEM135

I teach our students the general chemistry courses and hone their analytical and critical thinking skills, in preparation for upper-level courses in transfer institutions. I am passionate about educating my students in becoming responsible, global citizens, which is something I heavily emphasize in my “Chemistry and Society” class.

As the chemistry advisor for the STEM Ed community club and through my involvement with the ACS (American Chemical Society) and CSW, I try to engage the students in STEM outreach events and celebrate NCW and Earth Day using ACS resources.

Every challenging or difficult course can be overcome with the right study skills and positive attitude. I am here to help and guide while maintaining our high standards.

CHEM 109 coordinator

Timothy Watt

PhD, University of Maryland, College Park

Email: tim.watt@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-7624

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331E

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Educational Background

BS, Chemistry, University of Vermont
PhD, Inorganic Chemistry, University of Maryland, College Park

Courses Taught
Spring 2019: CHEM 131 lecture/discussion/lab, CHEM 132 lecture/discussion/lab

Part-time Faculty

Kirubel Assegid

Email: kirubel.assegid@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-5461

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 337

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Danielle Beaupre

PhD, Georgetown University

Email: Danielle.Beaupre@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 336

Office Hours: See course syllabi/ by appointment

Educational Background

Georgetown University, Ph.D. (Chemistry, 2023),
University of Connecticut, B.S. (Chemistry, 2016)
Manchester Community College, A.A. (liberal arts and science, 2013)

Biography

My post-high school education began at a community college (Manchester Community College), where I took my first chemistry course. After obtaining a B.S. in chemistry from UConn (2016) and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Georgetown University (2023), I am excited to come full circle and start a teaching career at another outstanding community college! At Georgetown, my thesis research focused on materials science and organic chemistry, including the design and synthesis of small molecules and polymers containing responsive functional groups (publications: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/26/11/3332 and https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6209/3/1/4. Although I am a chemist, I love art, design, and liberal arts. I have a passion for cooking...and eating...so my favorite experiments happen in my kitchen! I love reading, animals, travelling, and getting to know people from different backgrounds.

Courses Taught

CHEM 131L, CHEM 135L. (prior teaching assistant experience in organic chemistry)

C. Eric Cotton

Zeus De los Santos

PhD, Georgetown University

Email: zeus.delossantos@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 337

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Biography

Dr. De los Santos is an adjunct professor at Montgomery College and a chemist for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Prior to his positions at MC and FDA, he was an NRC Postdoctoral Associate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology where he studied the chiral properties of carbon nanotubes. In graduate school, Dr. De los Santos developed multiple assays for chiral compounds to alleviate the cumbersome delays that come with traditional asymmetric reaction screening analysis. He took a position at MC because of his passion for teaching and his urgent need to dispel any perceptions that chemistry is an impossible class to understand or master.

Educational Backgroung

BS, Chemistry, Georgia State University

MS, Medicinal Chemistry, Georgia State University

PhD, Organic and Analytical Chemistry, Georgetown University

Courses Taucht

CHEM 131

Stanley Friedman

Email: stanley.friedman@montgomerycollege.edu

Phone: 240-567-5407

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 341

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Biography

Dr. Friedman received his Ph. D in Chemistry from the University of California San Diego, a M.S. in Computer Science from Johns Hopkins University and his B.A. degree in Chemistry from University of Maryland Baltimore County. After finishing his Ph.D, he spent over 35 years in biomedical research for a variety of government, nonprofit and commercial institutions. This research resulted in 20 publications and 2 patents. He joined Montgomery College Chemistry department as an adjunct professor 14 years ago specializing in teaching the Chemistry for Engineering Majors course.

Courses Taught
CHEM131
CHEM132
CHEM135

Pabitha Gnanamani

PhD, Anna University, India

Email: Pabitha.Gnanamani@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331M

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Biography

Teaching is my passion! I love chemistry and love spreading my passion for chemistry to my students.
I would like my students to be accountable for their success as I firmly believe that nothing is unachievable with hard work and dedication!

Courses Taught
CHEM131
CHEM132

Monique Johnson

Email: Monique.Johnson@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 341

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Farrokh Malihi Basmanj

MSc, ME, both degrees from Carnegie-Mellon University

Email: Farrokh.MalihiBasmanj@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 337

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Biography

Farrokh B. Malihi, is a senior consultant at Fargol Research Group LLC, an international consulting firm specializing in product design and development for cleaning products, and personal care products. He is an adjunct professor in the chemistry department at Montgomery College, Rockville, Maryland. Prior to his consulting and teaching experience he was a section manager for household product development at Colgate-Palmolive Technology Center, Piscataway, New Jersey. He was a senior scientist at Glidden Coatings & Resins, Strongsville, Ohio. He completed his graduate studies in polymers & surface sciences at Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is holder of two U.S. patents, has published over twenty technical papers in the field of polymers and surfactants, and has been a frequent speaker at major international conferences.

Courses Taught
CHEM131
CHEM132

Ali Mohamadi

PhD, University of Illinois at Chicago

Email: ali.mohamadi@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331M

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Biography

“Chemistry sucks! A lot of meaningless formulas, contradicting rules, and disgusting smells.” Most freshmen believe so. In fact, I felt the very same way when I was a freshman myself! Everything changed in the first organic chemistry course. One professor presented chemistry as the most meaningful, supporting, and pleasant subject. How? It is all about teachers who believe in education and care about students. I do my best to be one of those teachers so students can enjoy learning chemistry.

Courses Taught
CHEM150L
CHEM203L
CHEM204L

Esam Orabi

PhD, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada

Email: esam.orabi@montgomerycollege.edu

Courses Taught

CHEM131, CHEM132L

Laura Sagle

Sudeshna Sawoo

Email: sudeshna.sawoo@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 337

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Beverly Sivaslian

MAT, Duke University

Email: beverly.sivaslian@montgomerycollege.edu

Office Location: Rockville Campus, SC 331M

Office Hours: See course syllabi or by appointment.

Educational Background

BA, Chemistry, Duke University
MAT, General Science, Duke University

Biography

After 30 years of teaching high school chemistry and physics (St. Marks School of Texas, Richard Montgomery High School, Thomas S. Wootton High School, and Landon School), I “retired” from full time teaching. However, after a semester spent exploring various hobbies – namely ceramics (successfully) and playing the guitar (not so successfully), I found that I missed working with students.
In January of 2023 I started working as an Embedded Academic Coach for two sections of CHEM 131 with the Achieving the Promise Academy (ATPA) Program. After enjoying that experience, I was given the opportunity to work with additional sections of CHEM 131 through the ATPA Program in the Fall of 2023. At that time, I also began teaching my own CHEM 131 course. Additionally, I serve as the co-sponsor of the STEM Ed club.

Courses Taught

CHEM 131 lecture/discussion/lab
ATPA Embedded Coach for CHEM 131