Chemistry (BS)

Asaad Istephan

Dr. Asaad Istephan is a professor of physical and applied science at Madonna University. He joined the adjunct faculty at Madonna University in 2001 and the full time faculty in 2002, from Lawrence Technological University in Michigan. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Physics in 1968 from Liverpool University, England and his Master of Science in Meteorology and applied Climatology in 1969 from Birmingham University, England and his PhD in Meteorology and Applied Climatology in 1973 from Birmingham University, England.

Dr. Istephan regularly teaches Astronomy online and on ground, Senior Seminar, Earth Science Meteorology, Science and Social Responsibility, Science Foundation, Oceanography, Physics and the Ascent of man courses. His research interests include: Meteorology and Climatology, Solar and Wind energy Astronomy, Atmospheric Physics and Environmental Pollution.

Dr. Istephan has worked as a director of the regional Meteorological training center and as a senior scientific researcher at the solar energy research center. He has worked also as a professor of Physics at local and international institutions. He has published more than 60 scientific papers in the fields Solar Meteorology, Atmospheric Physics, Environmental Pollution, wind energy and Astronomy.

He served on the World Meteorological Organization executive committee panel of experts in education and training. He has participated in numerous national and international conferences. He is the faculty advisor for the Integrated Science major and Natural Science major at Madonna University. Dr. Istephan is a member of the American Meteorological society.

Maria Kuhn

Maria Kuhn is an Assistant Professor in Physical & Applied Science. She joined the full time faculty at Madonna University in 1989. She teaches Biochemistry, a survey course in Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Organic Chemistry. Her favorite class to teach is Biochemistry. Her interests are in proteins, particularly protein evolution and folding.

She is the pre-professional advisor in the College of Science & Mathematics, and the faculty mentor for Sigma Zeta (national honor society for Science & Math majors). She recently worked with St. Mary Mercy Hospital to start up a program there for pre med/pre PA students to work in the emergency room.

Thaddeus Gish

Thaddeus J. Gish received his Bachelor of Science, as well as his Ph.D. degree from Wayne State University. Living with a military father, he attended a total of 16 elementary and middle schools while traveling throughout the United States and Europe. The family soon settled down and he graduated from high school in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Now living in Michigan and married to a Michigan woman, (besides the one incident… Ted forgot the wife’s birthday…citing that it will never happen again!) he has come to realize that the state has a resource that is the envy of the world – water! And hence, for the past 20 years his research endeavors are water-based.

He has lectured and taught over 190 courses in Michigan, as well as in China covering an assortment of topics: analytical, organic, general, intro, and aquatic chemistry; general biology; environmental science, limnology (study of lakes); oceanography; and astronomy. Just recently, he was one of the contributing authors in the jointly sponsored, Peoples Republic of China committee sub-report titled "Research on Anhui Rural Environmental Protection and Management."

Chris Dewberry

Denise Robaczewski