Our People – Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics
Department Leadership
Brian Logue
Brian Logue serves as head of the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics at SDSU, where he oversees departmental administration, strategic planning and faculty coordination while also teaching and mentoring students in the field of analytical chemistry.
Robert McTaggart
Robert McTaggart is the assistant department head and professor in the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, where he supports departmental leadership, assists with administrative coordination and contributes to teaching physics and student mentorship.
Cheng Zhang
As a graduate coordinator, Cheng Zhang oversees the graduate programs within the Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, guiding admissions, student progress and curriculum development to support graduate student success. He teaches graduate and undergraduate organic chemistry courses.
Melody Jewell
Serving as an undergraduate coordinator, Melody Jewell manages advising, academic planning and curriculum for undergraduate students, helping ensure a strong foundation in coursework, research opportunities and career preparation. She also teaches general chemistry courses, helps coordinate the chemistry education M.S. program and is the faculty adviser for the Chemistry Club.
Department Staff
Stephanie Burckhardt
Stephanie Burckhardt serves as an assistant to the department head and also helps coordinate the chemistry instructional program, supporting graduate education.
Sally Krueger
Sally Krueger works in conjunction with human resources to support staffing, onboarding and other personnel-related functions while also contributing to the coordination of the physics instructional program.
Jack Lawrence
Jack Lawrence serves as the lab manager for the department, overseeing daily operations and maintaining a safe, compliant environment for all staff and students.
Rui Li
Rui Li is the lab storekeeper for the department, overseeing inventory, receiving deliveries and managing the safe handling and distribution of liquid nitrogen and carbon dioxide tanks used in research and instructional labs.
Department Faculty
Geoffrey Bonvallet
Geoffrey Bonvallet, Ph.D., teaches physics while building durable analytical skills — from fundamentals of mechanics and electromagnetism to experimental methods and contemporary topics.
Derek Brandis
Derek Brandis, Ph.D., is an expert in analytical chemistry, specifically studying ice core research, and is the SDSU Wokini mentor for Native American students and communities in STEM throughout South Dakota and the surrounding region.
Suvobrata Chakravarty
Blending expertise in biochemistry and biophysical chemistry, Suvobrata Chakravarty, Ph.D., explores how proteins communicate with DNA, RNA and other proteins — using structural biology, bioinformatics and innovative tools to reveal how genetic mutations alter human protein function at both the molecular and genomewide scale.
Darci Fink
In her teaching of cell and molecular biology and biochemistry, Darci Fink, Ph.D., brings real-world relevance from her lab, where she investigates how lymphatic vessels grow, adapt and signal — work that not only uncovered primary cilia on lymphatic cells but also aims to inform treatments for cancer, inflammation and tissue repair.
Adam Hoppe
As a director of National Institutes of Health-funded Center of Biomedical Research Excellence-SDSU chapter, Adam Hoppe, Ph.D., leads cutting-edge research on how immune cells like macrophages fight cancer and viral infections. His team combines live-cell imaging and CRISPR genome screening to uncover how therapeutic antibodies activate immune defenses.
Yung Huh
Yung Huh, Ph.D., teaches physics and materials science while leading research on advanced functional materials — from engineered thin films and magnetic systems for spintronics and data storage to next-generation solar cells and superconducting materials for quantum computing.
M. Nurul Islam
M. Nurul Islam, Ph.D., teaches analytical and bioanalytical chemistry while leading multidisciplinary research that uses metabolomics and lipidomics to discover disease biomarkers and understand infectious and inflammatory disease processes through advanced mass spectrometry.
Parashu Kharel
Combining a passion for teaching physics with cutting-edge materials research, Parashu Kharel, Ph.D., explores the structure-property relationships of novel magnetic materials — ranging from bulk crystals to nanostructures — for applications in permanent magnets, magnetic refrigeration and spintronic devices.
Julie Leibold
Julie Leibold, Ph.D., plays a vital role in SDSU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as the lab coordinator for most of the general chemistry laboratories, ensuring smooth operation, safety and hands-on learning for hundreds of students each year. In addition to her coordination duties, she also teaches undergraduate inorganic chemistry and other courses vital to the department.
Sara Madsen
Sara Madsen, Ph.D., serves as a senior lecturer in chemistry at SDSU. She is dedicated to undergraduate education and distinguished by her leadership in green chemistry pedagogy, including recognition with the Dow Green Chemistry Education Award.
Matthew Miller
Matthew Miller, Ph.D., teaches chemistry education and explores how STEM outreach programs shape student learning and motivation, using these informal experiences to investigate their impact on future engagement in science while also guiding in-service teachers through a graduate program focused on chemical education.
Jay Shore
Jay Shore, Ph.D., teaches chemistry education and focuses his research on enhancing student learning through the integration of computational chemistry, nuclear magnetic resonance and materials science — developing innovative visualizations and assessment tools to improve chemistry instruction.
Matthew Styles
Matthew Styles uses directed evolution to engineer proteins that recognize and act on specific molecular targets. His lab develops high-throughput selection platforms for de novo discovery of functional proteins and for protein engineering. One primary focus is to develop precision antimicrobials as alternatives to broad-spectrum antibiotics and as a research tool for strain-specific knockouts in complex microbial communities.
Judy Vondruska
Primarily focused on teaching physics, Judy Vondruska, Ph.D., explores how students learn — researching tools like classroom response systems, the development of engineering identity and, most recently, the role of artificial intelligence in education — while also guiding first-year physics majors in hands-on astronomy projects ranging from exoplanet studies to building a radio telescope.
Rachel Willand-Charnley
Blending teaching in glycobiology with research at the interface of chemistry and immunology, Rachel Willand-Charnley, Ph.D., develops novel glycan therapeutics and synthetic strategies to address critical challenges in cancer treatment.
Rachel Willand-Charnley Directory Willand-Charnley's Research
Research Staff
