Kristy Simms Adjunct Professor, Chemistry |
Education
Teaching Interests
I am passionate about making chemistry accessible and relevant to all students by connecting it to real-world challenges in environmental health. At Muhlenberg College, I have the opportunity to teach a range of laboratory courses from General Chemistry to Kitchen Chemistry, where I emphasize core laboratory skills, safety, and the interdisciplinary nature of science. My courses often integrate case-based learning that combines biology, chemistry, and environmental science to help students, including non-majors, explore how chemical pollutants affect ecosystems and human health. Whether students are majoring in the sciences or the arts, I believe in using real-world examples to demonstrate that chemistry is not only a central science, but also a powerful tool for understanding and solving societal problems. My research in environmental analytical chemistry directly informs my teaching, enriching the classroom with examples from current environmental issues and methods used to study them.
Research, Scholarship or Creative/Artistic Interests
My research centers on environmental analytical chemistry, with a focus on understanding the fate and transport of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in both outdoor and indoor environments. I have investigated how these pollutants can accumulate and pose risks to ecosystems and human health. I have also examined how these environments can serve as overlooked sources of exposure. Through this work, I aim to better understand the chemical pathways that influence environmental contamination and to inform strategies for pollution mitigation and public health protection.
A core part of my research involved mentoring over two dozen undergraduate and graduate student volunteers, many of whom identified with groups historically underrepresented in the sciences, including women and students of color. I trained each student, most with no prior lab experience, in field sampling, extraction, cleanup, and instrumental analysis. All of them went on to graduate or professional school, and their success remains one of the most rewarding outcomes of my scholarship