Monica Rieth

I studied biochemistry at the University of Delaware and graduated with a B.S. in 2003. Afterward I attended Lehigh University to study membrane proteins and lipid biochemistry and biophysics. I graduated with a Ph.D. in 2014. Next, I studied membrane protein expression (and structural biology) and fungal transcriptomics in the Department of Chemical Engineering at UC Santa Barbara.

I began my independent academic career as a tenure-track Assistant Professor, Lab group leader and PI at Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville, IL), where I spent the better part of five years building my research program. I also taught biochemistry and biophysics and developed new labs for undergraduates and graduate students. My group published several papers on projects ranging from liposomal biophysics and environmental pollutant capture to yeast cell biology and membrane protein expression when I was later recruited for positions at WashU and UC Berkeley.

Discovery science is a mainstay in my group's work, however, I also use research as a tool to explore practical applications along with novel methods of instruction and curriculum development. I am here to seek supplemental support for research activities.

I have substantial experience building a research lab from scratch, conceptualizing new projects and getting them off the ground, and managing the fiscal responsibilities. I have applied for and have successfully secured multiple grants (internal and external) to support my lab's work. My students and I have presented our work multiple times at national science conferences (eg. American Chem. Society) and other meeting symposia.

This fall (2025) I will be joining the faculty in the chemistry department at Lehigh University as a Visiting Assistant Professor.

August 2024