ResPAC Faculty Representatives
Representing Students in Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Neuroscience, Math and Computer Science
Deanne Buffalari, Ph.D., ResPAC Co-Chair
Assistant Professor, Psychology Neuroscience
Deanne Buffalari has a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh. She has done postdoctoral work at the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on the interactions of stress and reward in animal models of addiction.
Jessica Sarver, Ph.D., ResPAC Co-Chair
Assistant Professor, Chemistry
Dr. Sarver earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. She performed her postdoctoral work at the University of Virginia and taught at Swarthmore College. Her research focuses on investigating the behavior of membrane-associating proteins using biophysical methods.
Patrick Lackey, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Chemistry
Dr. Lackey has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests focus on characterizing unique RNA regulation mechanisms using biochemical and biophysical methods, and tracking their evolutionary origins in lower species.
David Offner, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Math and Computer Science
Dr. Offner earned his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University and joined the Mathematics and Computer Science faculty in 2009. His research interests are in combinatorics, graph theory, theoretical computer science, and optimization. Aside from teaching a wide variety of classes, he enjoys mentoring undergraduate researchers and future mathematics educators.
Karen Resendes, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Biology
Dr. Resendes has a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology and Biochemistry from Brown University. She has done post-doctoral research at the University of California, San Diego and has taught at San Diego State University. Her research focuses on nuclear mRNA and protein transport.
Ann Throckmorton, Ph.D.
Professor, Biology
Dr. Throckmorton earned a Ph.D from Florida State University. Her research focuses on two areas: behavioral ecology of parasitic insects – how mate selection and host choice affect lifetime fitness – and the antimicrobial properties of natural dyes derived from plants. She is also a member of the Environmental Science Committee which coordinates the environmental science major and Associate Director of the College’s Field Station.