Please join us on congratulating the our faculty on their promotions. Drs. Nikita Burrows, Davis Jose, and Francis Valiquette were promoted to Associate Professor this spring. Dr. Bernadette Dunphy was promoted to Senior Specialist Professor.
Dr. Nikita Lauren Burrows specializes in organic chemistry with a focus in chemical education. She completed her Ph.D at Georgia State University (GSU) in the chemical education program after completing her B.Sc. in Biology (minor in Chemistry) at the University of the Bahamas. At GSU she was a Teacher quality fellow in the Bio-bus program as well as a Molecular Basis of Disease(MBD) Fellow. Nikita completed research focused on Project-based laboratory curriculum development, assessment and evaluation.
Since receiving her Ph.D, Nikita started an active research lab at Monmouth University centered on understanding the student experience in the chemistry laboratory and Alternative Assessments for undergraduate students. To learn more about Nikita’s scholarship see her Google Scholar, ResearchGate or click ‘see scholarship’ below. Nikita has served as a Subject Matter Expert for the American Chemical Society and developed laboratory safety training modules for undergraduates. In addition, Nikita is currently serving as a external evaluator for CURE biology labs at Drexel University under a CAREER grant awarded to Megan Phifer-Rixey. Outside of scholarship Nikita does consultation and Instructional design for eLearning courses and institutions. In addition, Nikita is very active in the Chemistry Education Research (CER) ACS division and serves on their committee.
Dr. Bernadette Dunphy (DPT) started teaching at Monmouth University in 2008. She is currently a full-time faculty member as a Senior Specialist Professor in Biology teaching Anatomy and Physiology and Biology First Year Seminar. Dr. Bernadette Dunphy is Owner, Director, and Clinical Coordinator of Dunphy’s Physical Therapy in Red Bank, New Jersey. Dr. Dunphy founded Dunphy’s Physical Therapy with her husband, also a physical therapist, in 2007. In their practice, this husband and wife team compassionately provides patients with drug-free pain management and assist to manage debilitating orthopedic and neurological issues.Additionally, Dr. Dunphy is the Director of Pre-Health Advising at Monmouth University.
Dr. Dunphy has have been in involved in Pre Health Advising since 2010. She was on the PHA committee for three years. She moved on to Co –Director for next two years. For the last eight years, Dr. Dunphy has been Director of Pre Health Advising.
As a member of the National Association of Advisors for Health Professions and Northeast Association of Advisors for Health Professions, Dr. Dunphy attended yearly conferences to stay current with health professional school guidelines. This gave pre health students a competitive edge and enabled her to write strong committee letters, which in turn, heightened their chances of acceptance into the graduate program of their choice.
Dr. Davis Jose specializes in the field of Nucleic Acid Conformations and Protein-Nucleic Acid Interactions. He earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemistry from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India. He did his Ph.D. in Biophysical Chemistry at the Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Gottingen, Germany, where he studied the intricacies of Nucleic Acid conformations. Following the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Jose did a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oregon with Dr. Peter H. von Hippel. During this period, he investigated the interactions between proteins and nucleic acids, gaining valuable insights into these biological processes that are essential in gene regulation, DNA replication, and cellular signaling. Dr. Jose has published numerous papers in leading scientific journals, shedding light on the complexities of nucleic acid conformation and protein-nucleic acid interactions. Dr. Jose’s passion for research and education led him to an academic career. He currently serves as a dedicated educator at Monmouth University, imparting his knowledge and enthusiasm to the next generation of scientists. With a focus on Organic Chemistry and Biophysical Chemistry, he works to shape the academic pursuits of aspiring students, instilling in them a deep appreciation for the molecular intricacies of life.
Dr. Francis Valiquette earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities in 2009. After two postdoctoral positions at McGill University and Dalhousie University, and five years as an Assistant Professor at SUNY at New Paltz, Dr. Valiquette joined Monmouth University in 2018. His research focuses on the applications of moving frames in geometry and the theory of differential equations. At Monmouth University, Dr. Valiquette primarily teaches courses in the calculus sequences from Precalculus to Real Analysis. To Dr. Valiquette, the most appealing feature of teaching at Monmouth University is the small class sizes and the opportunity to closely interact with students in and outside the classroom.