Chemistry & Biochemistry

Brittney Cole, M.S.

Assistant Professor, Department Chair

I have a M.S. degree in Chemistry from Ohio University and a M.A. degree in education from Austin Peay State University.  I am currently teaching General Chemistry I and II, and I enjoy helping students learn how chemistry applies to everyday life. Throughout my college career my interest in Chemistry has grown and I hope to pass this interest to others.  I started at Adrian College in 2016 and moved into the instructor position in 2021.

Sasha North, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

I received both my Bachelor of Science and Ph.D. in Chemistry from Michigan State University. I then taught general chemistry at Grand Valley State University for three years before becoming a postdoctoral researcher at University of North Texas and Michigan State University. My research interests have been concerned with computational/quantum chemistry methods. Along with general chemistry, I also teach physical chemistry courses and started at Adrian College in Spring 2023.

Alex Martin, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

I hold a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Virginia Commonwealth University and a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from the University of Michigan. Currently, I teach the Organic Chemistry sequence and have experience teaching General Chemistry along with a range of other introductory science courses. My research is focused on developing innovative and efficient chemical processes for the synthesis of biologically active compounds. I am actively involved with the Huron Valley Local Section of the American Chemical Society, serving on the executive committee since 2019. Prior to joining Adrian College in the fall of 2024, I taught at Concordia University for eight years.

Ian Steinke, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor 

I am originally from Alpena, Michigan and I received an Industrial Chemistry Technologies B.S. from Ferris State University in 2019 and a Medicinal Chemistry Ph.D. from Auburn University in 2024. My graduate work focused on the rational drug design, synthesis, and development of novel PPAR/LXR agonists for Alzheimer's Disease (AD). To accomplish this work I utilized an inter-disciplinary approach that combines molecular modeling, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology to effectively develop therapeutics for clinically unmet needs. My current research is focused on the investigation and development of therapeutic interventions for progressive degenerative inflammatory diseases e.g., Chron's Disease, frontotemporal dementia, degenerative myelopathy, and fibromyalgia.