New Chair of Chemistry and Chemical Biology Working To Strengthen Department

Linda McGown, professor and chair of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, joined Rensselaer this summer as the Institute works to strengthen the department's faculty and research.

"Professor McGown brings an extraordinary depth of research and education experience to this position," said Provost G.P. "Bud" Peterson. "Strengthening the chemistry department is critical to accomplishing the goals of The Rensselaer Plan, particularly as they pertain to biotechnology. Professor McGown's dedication to fostering the research capabilities of the department within a collaborative environment are essential as we expand in these areas."

"I am excited about the diversity of opportunities available to students and researchers at Rensselaer," said McGown. "I look forward to further developing the chemistry and chemical biology department through the expansion of research in traditional and interdisciplinary chemistry fields of study, the addition of faculty, and an increase in the size of the graduate program and the number of undergraduate chemistry majors."

McGown's research spans the areas of analytical chemistry, bioanalytical chemistry, environmental analysis, and biotechnology. Her current projects are focused on genomics, proteomics, bioseparations, and spectroscopic analysis in applications with biological, medical, and toxicological importance.

Prior to joining Rensselaer, McGown served as professor at Duke University for 17 years and past director of graduate studies for the university's chemistry department. She also served as tenured professor at Oklahoma State University and as assistant professor at California State University, Long Beach. McGown earned a bachelor's of science in chemistry from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Washington.

McGown has written more than 100 journal publications and currently serves on the editorial boards of Spectroscopy, Instrumentation Science and Technology, and Applied Spectroscopy. A fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), McGown is an invited member of the Society of Fluorescence, a winner of a Gold Medal Award from the New York Section of the Society for Applied Spectroscopy, and a PerkinElmer International Liquid Chromatography Technical Paper Award winner.

McGown joined the Rensselaer faculty in June.