Point Park University, B.A. Journalism & Communications (1998)

Jennifer Reeger is a strategic communicator with more than 25 years of experience in journalism and media relations.  At Seton Hill (2013-present), her primary responsibilities include promoting the University’s initiatives and the work of its students, faculty, staff, and alumni; supporting fundraising and alumni relations initiatives through the creation of print and digital pieces; leading a communications team in production of Seton Hill’s alumni magazine, Forward; and serving as university spokesperson.  She has extensive experience in crisis communications and played a significant role on the University’s COVID-19 response team.  Her work has been honored by local, state, and national organizations, including PRSA Pittsburgh, CUPRAP, and CASE.  Prior to her work in higher education, she served as a journalist at the Tribune-Review and the Beaver County Times.  She wrote news and feature stories on a variety of topics, including municipal and state government, courts, education, breaking news, and trends.  She was part of the Tribune-Review newsroom team that wrote the book, Field of Honor: How Flight 93 Inspired a Nation, for which she wrote profiles of those aboard the plane that crashed into a field in Shanksville, PA on 9/11. 

Stanford University, J.D. (1982)
Cambridge University, Ph.D. Physical Chemistry (1979)
Reed College, B.A. Chemistry (1976)

Dr. Jaffer practiced law in Silicon Valley for nearly forty years, specializing in intellectual property rights (patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets) and technology transfer through licensing transactions.  His practice primarily involved representation of start-up companies and individuals seeking to commercialize their technology developments, as well as representation of these companies as they grew and became publicly-held companies.  He is a past chair of the ACS Committee on Patents and Related Matters and the Division of Chemistry and the Law.

Stanford University, Ph.D. Physical Chemistry
Bethel College, B.S. Chemistry & B.A. Mathematics

Dr. Deckert's research interest is in the area of chemical kinetics.  Projects in her lab include both solution-phase kinetics and interfacial kinetics.  Solution phase projects center around investigating the mechanism of RNA and DNA using a kinetic approach.  Her investigations of interfacial kinetics utilize self-assembled monolayers.  These films consist of well-ordered mono-layers made from omega-organo thiols.  The ordered nature of these films provides a unique opportunity to study reactions in organized media.

University of California Davis, Ph.D. Chemistry (1992)
Roanoke College, B.S. Chemistry (1987)

Dr. Zovinka joined the faculty at Saint Francis in 1994.  His research focuses on the aluminum surface chemistry in acid mine drainage using Atomic Force Microscopy methods, Green Chemistry (mechanochemical and microwave enhanced) synthetic methods, and the use of chemistry in artwork (Paint Pouring).  Using grants from the National Science Foundation, the American Chemical Society and The Pittsburgh Conference, he has published in journals such as the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Organometallics, Applied Materials and Interfaces, & Journal of Chemical Education.  Along with journal articles, Dr. Zovinka authored or co-authored two chemistry books, "A Kids Guide to the Periodic Table" and "Real Chemistry Experiments".  He also has a passion for science outreach and leading the Rural Outreach Chemistry for Kids program for 25+ years, assisting over 75,000 K-12 students in having fun with science!

Columbia University, Ph.D. (2009)
Columbia University,  M.Phil.  Biological  Sciences (2007)
Columbia University,  M.A.  Biological  Sciences (2004)
Long Island University, B.S. (2001)

Dr. Cooper-Morgan conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), where she received an NIH T32 Training grant.  Dr. Cooper-Morgan has over 12 years of teaching experience and recently joined Seton Hill University in 2019.  Her teaching and research pedagogy promotes active learning, problem solving method of learning, in addition to the incorporation of new and emerging biochemical tools and technology into curricular development.  In 2021 Dr. Cooper-Morgan started the Future Scholars Program, a STEM outreach program in partnership with K-12 schools.  She actively mentors students, of mention is her involvement in an NSF S-STEM grant as a co-PI.  The S-STEM was awarded to Seton Hill University in 2023 to bolster lower-income students who wish to major in STEM.  Dr. Cooper-Morgan is active in the ACS on a local and national level.  She is a member of ACS' Committee on Public Relations and Communications, Treasurer-elect of her local section and the Chair of Pittsburgh’s Women Chemist Committee. 

University of California Santa Barbara, Ph.D. Chemistry (2021)
Nanjing University, B.S. Chemistry (2016)

Dr. Li is a catalysis researcher at Braskem, specializing in the development of new catalysts for the polyolefin business.  With a Ph.D. in Chemistry from UC Santa Barbara, where she focused on heterogeneous catalysis mechanisms using advanced synchrotron techniques, she brings a strong scientific foundation to her work.  Additionally, her experience in the Technology Management Program has given her valuable insights into the connection between innovation and entrepreneurship.  Dr. Li is passionate about driving innovation in the polyolefin industry and leveraging her multidisciplinary background to contribute to sustainable solutions.