Biography
Dr. Shaffer has been an instructor in Chemistry at Penn State Shenango since 2014, having previously taught at several colleges and universities in western Pennsylvania while raising her children. She is a member of the Faculty Learning Community, chair of the Faculty Senate Outreach Committee, an advisor of the STEM Club, and the campus contact for both the EnvironMentors and GeoPath programs. She incorporates course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) into the Experimental Chemistry II laboratory course that she instructs each spring. Additionally, several of her classes have collaborated internationally through Penn State's EDGE (Experiential Digital Global Engagement) program.
Outside of the classroom she enjoys outdoor activities and volunteering with youths through programs such as the Girl Scouts.
Research Interests
Green Chemistry
Student Wellness (as part of the Faculty Learning Community)
Education
Postdoctoral Research Associate, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1994-1995
Doctorate in Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, 1994
Bachelor in Chemistry, Allegheny College, 1988