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Debra L. Van Engelen

Debra L. Van Engelen, Associate Professor of Chemistry

Contact: debra_vanengelen@redlands.edu
(909) 748-8547 (Phone)
(909) 335-5312 (Fax)
Hedco Hall, Room 206

Ph.D., Oregon State University, Corvallis
B.A., Washington University in St. Louis

My professional commitment is to excellence in teaching, innovative curricula, and undergraduate research.  I am an analytical chemist and teach courses in general, analytical, and environmental chemistry plus laboratories in biochemistry and spectroscopy.   I am active in development of new types of chemistry curricula and project-based laboratory experiments and courses.  As assessed in student outcomes and surveyed attitudes, these open-ended courses appear to improve the interest, confidence, and achievement of students.  I have received a number of significant grants for curriculum development including multiple grants from the National Science Foundation and funding from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. 

While my research interests have been varied over the years, the common thread has been the development of innovative methods of separation, both utilizing chromatography and capillary electrophoresis, with sensitive and selective detection primarily with molecular fluorescence. Most of the applications of my research work have been in environmental chemistry and pollution analysis, although I also have a fairly strong background and interests in bioanalytical chemistry. 

I came to the University of Redlands in 2003 after seventeen years at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.  I have mentored over 40 undergraduate students in research while at UNCA and the University of Redlands, and most present their work at regional or national conferences.  I have long-term collaborations with faculty from Emory University, the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, and Louisiana State University.

In addition to my interests in chemistry, I have also taught many courses related to science and society in a variety of disciplines including Women's Studies and interdisciplinary humanities programs.  I am involved in a number of campus or community activities both that promote inclusion of diverse students in higher learning or are committed to protection of the environment.

Click here to view a recent Curriculum Vita

Chemistry Department Web page

Analytical Chemistry with emphasis in separations and detection methods
High performance liquid chromatography, capillary electrophoresis, instrument and method development with applications in environmental and bioanalytical chemistry

Chem 131/132 General Chemistry I/II and Laboratory
Chem 301 Quantitative Chemistry and Laboratory
Chem 330 Analytical Chemistry and Laboratory
Chem 320L Biochemistry Laboratory
Chem 333L Spectroscopy Laboratory
FYS Chemistry and Your Future: Values and Consequences

  • American Chemical Society
  • Council on Undergraduate Research
  • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society
  • Sigma Xi, Honor Society for Scientists
  • Phi Lambda Upsilon, Chemistry Honorary Society
  • Chemistry Olympiad Coordinator, San Gorgonio Section, American Chemical Society, 2007 - present
  • University of North Carolina at Asheville, Distinguished Teacher Award, 2000-2001
  • American Chemical Society, Western Carolinas Section, Nominations Committee, Chair, 1994. Section Chair, 1993, Chair-Elect, 1992, Secretary-Treasurer, 1991
  • 1996 Southeastern American Chemical Society Regional Conference Steering Committee, 1991-97, Finance Co-Chair (Treasurer), 1992-97
  • Co-Chair, Physical Arrangements Committee, Second National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR), 1988.

Articles

Debra L. Van Engelen, Rachel C. Sharpe-Pedler, and Kevin K. Moorhead. (2007). Effect of Chelating Agents and Solubility of Cadmium Complexes on Uptake from Soil by Brassica Juncea. Chemosphere, Vol. 68 (3), 401-408.

Debra L. Van Engelen, Steven W. Suljak, J. Patrick Hall, and Bert E Holmes. (2007). Undergraduate Introductory Quantitative Chemistry Laboratory Course: Interdisciplinary Group Projects in Phytoremediation. Journal of Chemical Education, Vol. 84, 128-131.

Debra Van Engelen, Teresa Longin, and Daniel B. Wacks. (2006). Progressive Four-year Approach to Teaching Scientific Writing to Undergraduates. Proceedings of the 232 th American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA,

K. Massey, D.L. Van Engelen, and I.M. Warner. (1995). Determination of Carbaryl and its Primary Metabolite, 1-Naphthol, by Reversed-Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Fluorescence Detection. Talanta, Vol. 42, 1457-1463.

R.P. Maas, D.J. Kucken*, S.C. Patch, B.T. Peek*, and D.L. Van Engelen. (1995). Pesticides in Eastern North Carolina Rural Supply Wells: Land Use Factors and Persistence. Journal of Environmental Quality, Vol. 24, 426-431.