Chemistry Professor Named 2020 Chair of North Jersey Section of American Chemical Society  

Cecilia Marzabadi, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Cecilia Marzabadi, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, has been named the 2020 chair of the North Jersey Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS). A member of the North Jersey Section for more than 20 years, she becomes only the second Seton Hall University faculty member to be named its chair since 1930.

Founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress, the American Chemical Society is the world's largest scientific society. Its mission is to advance the broader chemistry enterprise and its practitioners for the benefit of Earth and its people, ultimately improving lives across the globe.

The North Jersey Section is one of the largest local Sections of the ACS in the country, with a range of programming and year-round activities to engage its 4,300 members. It features a diverse array of topical/discussion groups that hold meetings in areas such as organic chemistry, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, drug metabolism and chromatography. There are also discussion groups specifically for minority chemists, female chemists, younger chemists, senior chemists and teacher affiliates.

In a recent issue of the Section's monthly e-newsletter, "The Indicator," Marzabadi addressed the members of the NJACS and discussed her objectives for the upcoming year, which included:

• Greater interactions with college chapters and chemistry clubs
• Expanded activities with neighboring ACS Sections
• Increased outreach to the general public through science cafes in local communities
• Increased engagement with underserved populations to boost their participation and representation in the Chemical Enterprise
• Enhanced focus on promoting and retaining women in the academic and industrial workforces to make chemistry a more "inclusive science"

"I look forward to this opportunity to work with colleagues at other universities and at local companies as an advocate for chemistry," says Marzabadi. "It is a both a great honor and a challenge to serve for such a large Section. I hope to have an impact on the recruitment of young scientists and on increasing participation in chemistry of underserved groups."

Marzabadi earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from Saint Louis University and her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri, Saint Louis. Her research interests include synthetic organic and carbohydrate chemistry, having done work specifically on the synthesis of small, carbohydrate-based molecules to be used as potential therapeutics. She and her team have targeted molecules for the treatment of epilepsy and other central nervous system disorders, as well as cancer. In addition, she studies issues related to the recruitment and retention of women in the sciences and mathematics. She is a founding member of the Center for Green Chemistry and Catalysis at Seton Hall.