Laura Van Dorn

Associate Professor of Practice

Degrees and Appointments

  • B.S. Bemidji State University, 1999
  • Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Arizona, 2004
  • Post-Doctoral Researcher, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Arizona 2004-2006
  • Post-Doctoral Researcher, Department of Radiology, University of Arizona, 2006-2008

SpecialtiesChemistry & Biochemistry Education, Inorganic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Education and Teacher Preparation 

Research and Education Activities 

Research Description

I teach general chemistry, including applications of organic chemistry and biochemistry. In my courses, I emphasize the application of chemistry to nutrition, drug interactions, and the environment. My approach to teaching includes helping students learn to look for patterns and make predictions based on fundamentals. I am interested in collaborative research investigating the connections between how diverse students approach studying and the outcome in learning, and how it affects their success.