Chemistry

Donna Nelson

Visiting Professor 2010-2011, 2024-2025 Professor, University of Oklahoma

MIT Sponsors:
- Wes Harris (2024-2025), Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics
- Michael Strano (2010-2011), Department of Chemical Engineering
Scholar Link:Visit Donna Nelson's website

The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific and religious freedom have always been in the minority… It will take such a small committed minority to work unrelentingly to win the uncommitted majority. Such a group may transform America’s greatest dilemma into her most glorious opportunity.
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Background

Dr. Donna Nelson obtained her PhD in chemistry at UT-Austin with Michael Dewar and did her postdoctorate at Purdue with HC Brown. She was the first female and only Native American to accept a professorship at the University of Oklahoma Department of Chemistry. She has published over 200 papers, given thousands of talks, and organized hundreds of ACS symposia. She has received many honors, including the Guggenheim Award, ACS Fellow, AAAS Fellow, and NSF Creativity Extension. Dr. Nelson was science advisor for the hit television show “Breaking Bad” and was elected to 2016 President of the American Chemical Society. Her research and creative activities focused on the topics listed above by building communities in them.

Interests

Dr. Nelson creates tables and graphs of compiled CDC data which show the current number of deaths and death rates due to fentanyl in the US and in selected states. She presents tables and plots of US Border Patrol seizure data of fentanyl in the US. These data are usually much larger than expected by most people and are needed in order to plan our future which includes an accommodation for fentanyl and its deadly impacts on our society. She relates this to her experiences as science advisor to Breaking Bad.

She is interested in teaching methodology, specifically developing teaching devices, surveying students, and exploring different teaching techniques, with a goal to produce excellent results, not be overly burdensome for the instructor, and to be enjoyed by students.