Bradley Sturgeon is a professor of chemistry at Monmouth College. He is no stranger to the state of Illinois, however, as he grew up near the Chicago area in Glenview, Ill. 

Although Sturgeon grew up in Illinois, most of his schooling took place out of state, receiving a Ph.D. in bio-physical chemistry from the University of California at Davis. From there, Sturgeon went on to get a post doctorate from Northwestern University and the University of Chicago. 

Sturgeon has been teaching chemistry for the past seven years. His main focus is specifically on the study of enzymes. Before coming to Monmouth College, he taught at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Also, he worked at the National Institute of Health.

Sturgeon first heard about the position at Monmouth College at a conference in San Francisco, Calif. “It is a lot smaller,” said Sturgeon, when comparing UNC-Chapel Hill to Monmouth College. Sturgeon is enjoying the experience. He said  he appreciates being able to have “contact with students.” He also mentioned that “feedback is important,” which he gets more of here at a smaller school. 

When asked to tell an interesting fact about himself, Sturgeon said he is a “beer judge.”  He has taken exams to learn how to judge different kinds of beers for characteristics such as taste and color. A word of advice he offers is that, “it is about quality, not quantity.”

Overall, Sturgeon is a great addition to the chemistry department. He is very knowledgeable in his area and is here to help students. Sturgeon is “excited about the potential” that Monmouth College has and is looking forward to the rest of his time here.

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