People

Dana Garves is the Technical Program Manager at Beyond Benign, a non-profit supporting Green Chemistry adoption in chemical education. She is the Founder and Senior Fermentation Chemist at Oregon BrewLab, serving over 500 beverage industry clients with chemical analysis and quality control solutions. Prior to establishing her laboratory, Garves built two production laboratories and collaborated on a project to launch yeast into space as the Laboratory Manager at Ninkasi Brewing Company. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Oregon and a 2026 Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. A dedicated advocate for sustainable practices, Garves spearheaded the 2023 American Society of Brewing Chemists (ASBC) Green Chemistry Initiative to modernize core brewing science assays using the 12 Principles of Green Chemistry. Her foundational work in this field includes curating the GEMs database at the University of Oregon, directing lab setups for the Green Chemistry in Education Workshop (GCEW), and delivering presentations on her research at BCCE and American Chemical Society National conferences. Highly engaged in fermentation education outreach, Garves has developed and taught four proprietary sensory evaluation courses across in-person and virtual formats. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact for the Brewing Innovation Minor (BRIN), assisting students in transiting from academics to industry.

NOTE: Only applicants in the United States are eligible for this position. Review of applications will begin June 1, 2026 and will continue on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Beyond Benign invites applications for a Postdoctoral Research Fellow position in STEM education research, preferably in chemistry. This position offers early-career scholars a unique opportunity to develop skills in green chemistry education research and gain experience in faculty professional development through the Community of Practice lens. The position is designed to prepare early career researchers by integrating them into the Chemistry Education Research community, providing mentorship in research and green chemistry education, and supporting the development of a collaborative professional network.

The position is funded by a National Science Foundation grant that aims to build the capacity of faculty educators to teach green chemistry. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will contribute to a collaborative, interdisciplinary project that will support educators to adapt and implement green chemistry throughout the chemistry curriculum. The Postdoctoral Research Fellow will be based remotely at Beyond Benign and will work closely with faculty at Monmouth University. In addition, the Postdoctoral Research Fellow will have an opportunity to contribute to additional project activities related to green chemistry education, including potential contributions to curriculum design and implementation, and contributing to teaching at Monmouth University, if they desire.

Funding to support this position is available for up to 4 years, with the possibility of extension for another 6-12 months.

Essential Job Duties:

The Postdoctoral Fellow at Beyond Benign will work with researchers at Monmouth University and Beyond Benign in the research and evaluation portion of the project. This includes:

1. Utilizing methods, tools, and mechanisms to support data collection and assessment of the outputs and outcomes of the project;
2. Exploring research methodologies and evaluation practices in chemical education and DBER and how they apply to the project structures;
3. Connecting theoretical concepts to the methodologies to inform the answers to the research questions;
4. Developing and administering regular surveys of the participants in the project;
5. Conducting semi-structured interviews with the participants and collecting participant reflective diaries and field notes from annual summits and individual participant meetings;
6. Attending biweekly meetings of mentoring groups as needed to support them in their curriculum development work and take field notes and observations as needed;
7. Analyzing the collected data (both quantitative and qualitative) and writing reports and research articles to summarize and disseminate the results; and
8. Co-supervising undergraduate summer students and providing mentorship to support data analysis, transcription, and coding, among other project tasks.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Represent Beyond Benign at conferences, webinars, and partner events.
• Contribute to broader Beyond Benign initiatives and cross-program collaboration.
• Preparing conference presentations and/or organizing conference symposia and sessions to disseminate the results and communicate with the greater chemistry education community.
• Travel for conferences and events (all expenses covered by Beyond Benign as part of the grant scope).

Preferred Qualifications:

• A Ph.D., Ed.D., or equivalent degree in a field that is STEM and/or education focused. The degree must have been awarded in the last 5 years. Candidates who are ABD (All But Dissertation) may be considered, provided that all degree requirements are completed prior to the employment start date.
• Experience conducting both quantitative and qualitative research, including human subjects research.
• Experience with data collection and analysis, including survey administration and conducting and transcribing semi-structured interviews.
• Familiarity with green chemistry, sustainability, and/or science education is highly desirable.

Personal Attributes:

• Strategic thinker with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Passionate about sustainability and education reform.
• Proactive and adaptable with a collaborative, team-oriented mindset.
• Comfortable with remote work environments and digital communication tools.

We welcome candidates seeking a variety of work arrangements. Our goal is to find the right person for the position, and we’re open to discussing a structure that works best for both you and our team. We also welcome applicants from all backgrounds and with diverse identities to this position, including but not limited to: sex, gender identity, gender expression, race, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, Indigenous identity, invisible and/or visible disabilities, cultural and/or religious upbringing, nationality, socio-economic status, body size and appearance, and/or intersections of these identities.

Terms: This is a full-time contract position for up to 4 years during the grant period, with the possibility of a 6-12 month extension at the end. Contracts may be negotiated for a duration that is shorter than the grant period. The incumbent will be supervised by Dr. Nikita Burrows at Monmouth University and Drs. Amy Cannon and Jonathon Moir at Beyond Benign.

Compensation: Salary is negotiable and will be based on experience and qualifications. Benefits package, paid time off (PTO), and professional development opportunities are available.

About Beyond Benign:

Beyond Benign a 501(c)3 nonprofit, envisions a world where the chemical building blocks of products used every day are healthy and safe for humans and the environment. Beyond Benign’s mission is to foster a green chemistry community that empowers educators to transform chemistry education for a sustainable future. Beyond Benign is working to equip educators from K-20 with the ability to teach chemistry and STEM through a lens of sustainability grounded in the 12 principles of green chemistry. By providing educators with tools, training and peer support networks, educators are equipped to train the next generation of scientists and citizens with the skills and knowledge to create and choose products that are safe for human health and the environment.

Beyond Benign is fully committed to creating a working environment where all can contribute and feel welcome. We believe that making green chemistry accessible to all means practicing our work through a lens of belonging and respect. This means respect and engagement for everyone in our organization, along with ensuring equity in areas such as compensation, benefits and career growth and opportunities.

Co-founded in 2007 by Dr. John Warner, the co-founder of the field of green chemistry, and Dr. Amy Cannon, who holds the world’s first Ph.D. in Green Chemistry, Beyond Benign has an extensive history of service. Over the past 15 years, Beyond Benign has trained over 6,500 K-12 teachers in sustainable science and green chemistry, designed over 250 open-access lessons, reached over 1.5M students and educators & partnered with over 250 universities to transform chemistry education.  Together we can catalyze the development of green technological innovations that result in safer products and processes in support of a sustainable, healthy society.

How to Apply

NOTE: Only applicants in the United States are eligible for this position.

Applicants should submit the following materials to hr@beyondbenign.org.

1. Cover letter
2. Curriculum vitae (CV)
3. Contact Information for 3 References

Review of applications will begin June 1, 2026 and will continue on a rolling basis until the position is filled.

Alisha Szozda (she/her) completed the concurrent education program at Queen’s University obtained a HBSc in Chemistry in 2018 and BEd in 2019. Due to her passion for education and research, she completed a PhD in chemistry specializing in chemistry education research at the University of Ottawa with Dr. Alison Flynn. Her research focused on investigating systems thinking in chemistry education: educators’ and students’ perspectives and experiences and was funded through a SSHRC Canadian Doctoral Scholarship. During this time, Alisha joined the IUPAC Systems Thinking in Chemistry for Sustainability: Toward 2030 and beyond project where she has co-created open educational resources on a website for people to learn about systems thinking and how to implement it in chemistry education. She passionate about teaching and currently embeds green chemistry and suitability principles and systems thinking into a Chemistry for Engineers course at Carleton University. As of March 2025, she has started a new Postdoctoral Fellowship role at Carleton focusing on EDI transformation in STEM and has joined Beyond Benign as the Chief Moderator for the GCTLC! She will bring her strong passion for green chemistry education and abilities to lead and develop community engagement and activities within educational communities to this role at Beyond Benign. Alisha currently lives in Ottawa, Ontario, where outside of work they enjoy hot yoga and fitness classes, long dog walks, kayaking Georgian Bay, skiing the Gatineau Hills, and exploring different places to eat!

Feel free to reach out and chat with Alisha!

Dr. Sarah Kennedy earned her B.S. in Chemistry in 2002 at Westminster College, PA, and her PhD in Chemistry in 2009 from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her research areas include biomolecular structure, green chemistry pedagogy, chemical education, and inclusive pedagogy. As an Associate Professor of Chemistry at Radford University, Dr. Kennedy teaches biochemistry, general chemistry, and green chemistry. Additionally, she manages the university-wide RISE (Realizing Inclusive Student Excellence) program that focuses on faculty professional development as well as building academic belonging for students. Dr. Kennedy also works as a consultant with the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute, specifically with their green chemistry module development project.

Tyler Schisler (he/him) is based in Chicago, Illinois. He holds a Master of Science in Information and Communication Sciences from Ball State University, where he conducted research on generative AI and machine learning and published multiple papers in the field. He also earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from Michigan State University.

He has gained professional experience in healthcare technology, systems implementation, and IT project leadership, contributing to large-scale electronic health record deployments and collaborative research initiatives. Through this work, Tyler has developed expertise in Scrum, stakeholder communication, and bridging the gap between technical solutions and organizational needs. Passionate about leveraging technology to drive innovation and streamline workflows, he is committed to advancing Beyond Benign’s mission through impactful program and system development. Outside of work, Tyler enjoys playing golf, going to the gym, and cheering on his favorite sports teams.

Dr. Michelle Duarte (she/her) earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry at Concordia University (Montreal, Canada) under the supervision of Prof. Rafik Naccache. During her Ph.D., Michelle worked on the synthesis of sustainable carbon-based heterogeneous catalysts for biodiesel production. Michelle’s interests in Green Chemistry and sustainability date back to her undergraduate and master’s programs, where she worked with water remediation and sustainable synthesis of carbon nanotubes. Apart from her research projects, Michelle also dedicated her time to teaching students about the significance of Green Chemistry and the use of safer and sustainable practices in the lab.

Motivated to make a broader difference beyond the lab bench, she joined the Beyond Benign team, first as the Green Chemistry Connections Ambassador and currently as the Program Manager for the Green Chemistry Commitment. In this role, she is committed to expanding the GCC community and encouraging institutions to integrate Green Chemistry into their curricula.

Michelle Ernst Modera received her M.Ed in Community Engagement from Merrimack College Winston School of Education. She worked with Beyond Benign as a development fellow through Merrimack College’s education and social policy program. She has a NYS teaching certification in elementary and special education and a background in sociology. Michelle also has experience working for the National Center for Race Amity, an organization focused on racial justice, education, and community building. She currently serves as the K-12 Community Engagement Manager at Beyond Benign.

Monica Hensley (She/her) earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Michigan Technological University in 2023. She holds a Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Bachelor’s in Pharmacy (BPharm) from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana.

Throughout her doctoral studies, Monica demonstrated her commitment to chemistry education research. Collaborating with teaching faculty, she played a pivotal role in integrating risk-based safety instruction into the undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory curriculum, enhancing the preparedness of students for safe laboratory practices. Her dedication to safety also led to her active involvement with the student-led Lab Safety Team (LST), a grassroots movement dedicated to promoting safety awareness.

With her interest in Green Chemistry and sustainability, Monica also participated in the American Chemical Society (ACS) Green Chemistry & Sustainable Energy Summer School. Moreover, she co-developed a GreenChem Catalyst workshop, which was successfully piloted at the 2023 NOBCChE Conference. This workshop aimed to empower chemistry students by imparting knowledge on environmental justice, fostering sustainable careers, and contributing to resilient communities.

As a devoted chemistry educator, Monica Soma Hensley is dedicated to shaping the next generation of environmentally conscious and responsible chemists.

Juliana Vidal (she/her) earned her Ph.D. in the Green Chemistry and Catalysis Group at Memorial University of Newfoundland (St. John’s, NL, Canada), supervised by Prof. Francesca Kerton (Memorial University of Newfoundland) and co-supervised by Prof. Stephanie MacQuarrie (Cape Breton University). During her Ph.D., Juliana investigated new applications for a sustainable material obtained from wood waste called biochar. As a Postdoctoral Researcher supervised by Prof. Audrey Moores at McGill University, she worked on developing greener methods for the implementation of a biorefinery using crustacean shell waste.

Besides being the Higher Education Senior Program Manager at Beyond Benign, Juliana is also involved with the Global Conversation on Sustainability (GCS) project created by the International Younger Chemists Network (IYCN) and IUPAC, and the Chemicals and Waste Platform of the UNEP Major Group for Children and Youth. Juliana was also in the Executive Board of the Network of Early-Career Sustainable Scientists and Engineers (NESSE), in the Governance Task Force of the Chemical Institute of Canada (CIC), and has been selected as a Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Future Leader in 2020.

Jonathon (he/him) is a passionate scientific researcher and professional with a keen interest in chemistry education and advancing sustainability and green chemistry across all levels of pedagogy and learning. He received his B.Sc.H. from Queen’s University in 2010 and his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto in 2016 in Inorganic Chemistry with a focus on Nanomaterials and Electrochemistry.

During his doctoral studies, Jonathon was a founding member of the Green Chemistry Initiative (GCI), a group of graduate students dedicated to promoting green chemistry principles and practices within the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto. In addition to co-leading the GCI’s regular green chemistry seminar series and its 2015 annual symposium, Jonathon redeveloped a third-year undergraduate organic chemistry lab in collaboration with Professor Andy Dicks to include more concepts related to green chemistry, and later attended the ACS Green Chemistry Summer School in 2016. Following graduate school, Jonathon transitioned to the not-for-profit sector, where he has helped manage and support the development of international, interdisciplinary research programs, scientific projects, workshops and symposia as well as a national scholarship program in Canada for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows pursuing research in Canada’s Arctic and northern regions.

Jonathon is excited to be working together with Beyond Benign and the ACS GCI in the overall management, development and growth of the newly-launched Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community (GCTLC). Jonathon currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada and enjoys sports of all kinds including swimming, skiing, rowing, cycling, volleyball, curling and weightlifting.

With over 15 years of experience in finance and operations, Amanda specializes in optimizing organizational processes, ensuring regulatory compliance, and managing financial and data systems to improve efficiency and drive growth. In her previous roles across healthcare, nonprofit, and technology sectors, she has led budgeting and financial planning efforts, streamlined accounting workflows, and implemented controls to meet GAAP and industry-specific regulations. Amanda has also worked closely with small businesses to develop customized financial and operational strategies, such as cash flow management, cost reduction initiatives, and process automation, aligning with their long-term objectives and ensuring sustainable growth. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys spending quality time with her family.

Dr. Omar Villanueva is originally from the Southwest region of Mexico and grew up in Georgia. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Education in Science Education from the University of Georgia in Athens (UGA). Omar later completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at Emory University, where he discovered his passion for green chemistry through research focused on developing earth-abundant metal catalysts for organic transformations.

With more than a decade of experience as a chemistry faculty member, Omar has mentored undergraduate students in sustainable catalysis research and collaborated with colleagues to integrate green chemistry principles into academic curricula. His work spans diverse projects, including developing alternative grading practices, designing new ACS-approved undergraduate courses, advancing social justice initiatives in chemistry, enhancing organic chemistry education, and conducting chemical education research. In addition, he has been actively involved in higher education leadership initiatives and expanding opportunities for underrepresented groups in science.

Before joining Beyond Benign, Omar was the Chemistry Department Chair in the School of Science and Technology at Georgia Gwinnett College (GGC). In addition to leading a large, diverse, interdisciplinary department, he led initiatives to grow new academic programs, increase institutional capacity for the meaningful evaluation of effective and inclusive teaching, and increase diversity among STEM faculty.

Omar is deeply committed to advancing green chemistry education and empowering educators, programs, and institutions to adopt transformative, sustainable practices. At Beyond Benign, he oversees the programmatic aspects of the organization’s green chemistry education initiatives, supporting efforts from K-12 through higher education.