Dr. Hangun-Balkir received her Ph.D. in chemistry in 2002 from Carnegie-Mellon University and taught biochemistry and other courses at the California University of Pennsylvania. Her research is in the areas of green chemistry, catalysis, and natural products. She has served as a member of the Collaborative for Excellence in Teacher Preparation, the Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry, and the GLOBE program for worldwide primary and secondary school-based science education.