Professional Appointments

Professor Emerita, Bryn Mawr College 2026-present

Frank B. Mallory Professor of Chemistry, Bryn Mawr College 1986–2026
Adjunct Scholar, Vatican Observatory  2016–present

Education
Ph.D., Chemistry, University of California, Irvine
B.S., Chemistry, University of California, Irvine

Selected Recent Publications

Books
Not By Bread Alone. Liturgical Press, 2026.
Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea. Royal Society of Chemistry, 2024.
Prayer, Biblical Wisdom for Seeking God, Liturgical Press, 2021.

Essays
“To Be Seen” Give Us This Day, March 2026
“Inescapable Grace” Give Us This Day, October 2026.
“First ladies of chemistry.” Nature Chemistry (2026).
“Lost in translation.” Nature Chemistry (2026).
“Quantum quacks.” Nature Chemistry (2026).
“Fully Immersed.” Give Us This Day, April 2025.
“Drawn in.” Give Us This Day, July 2025.
“Sing!” Give Us This Day, November 2025.
“Opinionated science.” Nature Chemistry (2025).
“Aliens among us.” Nature Chemistry (2025).
“Beyond grateful.” Nature Chemistry (2025).

Opinion
“Exactly what does Trump imagine is within Pope Leo’s proper purview?” (The
Philadelphia Inquirer, 2026).
“Medbeds, ‘truths,’ and fantastical science, oh my!” (The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2025).
“Pope Francis’ approach to science and faith emphasized our duty to wield both with
care.” (The Philadelphia Inquirer, 2025).
“Cutting NIH funding puts my life on the line — and maybe yours, as well.” (The
Philadelphia Inquirer, 2025).
“Keeping faith during the last weeks of the presidential election.” (The Philadelphia
Inquirer, 2024).
“What are we actually praying for when we call for ‘thoughts and prayers’?” (The
Philadelphia Inquirer, 2022).

Selected Awards
Fellow, American Chemical Society
ACS Philadelphia Section Award
2022 Catholic Media Association honorable mention in prayer: books about prayer