Hunter College Science Faculty

Hunter College is one of the most outstanding science institutions in the nation, thanks to its stellar faculty. Hunter’s science professors not only initiate and conduct groundbreaking research, but also teach and mentor their students with extraordinary dedication and reflect and foster the diversity that is one of Hunter’s greatest assets. In addition to training research scientists who will expand the frontiers of knowledge, Hunter professors are also preparing the men and women who will enter such professions as nursing, medical technology, and other science-based fields. Hunter’s programs in these fields, which have long been nationally recognized, are now needed more than ever, owing to the personnel shortages in these areas.

Biological Sciences

                                            Meet Professor Derrick T. Brazill
                                            Biology Professor Derrick T. Brazill was the recipient of the
                                            prestigious Presidential Early Career Award in 2005 - the
                                            highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on young
                                            scientists. Brazill’s remarkablescientific achievements as a
                                            member of the Hunter faculty have been highlighted by
                                            groundbreaking research into how human cells communicate
                                            with one another - a crucial component in the battle against
                                            cancer.

Chemistry

                                           Meet Professor Karen Phillips
                                           Hunter Chemistry Professor Karen Phillips received Hunter's
                                           Presidential Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2006. Dr.
                                           Phillips was also the recipient of a prestigious PSC-CUNY
                                           Research Award to support her highly-acclaimed laboratory
                                           work. She is the program coordinator for the Minority
                                           Biomedical Research Support Program and has been an active
                                           leader at Hunter in supporting efforts to promote minority
                                           research.

Physics and Astronomy

                                            Meet Professor Godfry Gumbs
                                            Dr. Godfrey Gumbs of the Physics Department has been
                                            named a CUNY Distinguished Professor for his
                                            lifetime of contributions to theoretical physics, including
                                            research into some of the most complex problems of
                                            condensed matter. The Distinguished Professorship is the
                                            latest in a series of well-earned honors for Dr. Gumbs. He is
                                            a Fulbright Senior Scholar and he received the
                                            American Physical Society’s highest prize, the
                                            Edward A. Bouchet Award. A member of the Hunter faculty since 1992, Gumbs served as chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Hunter for five years. He has also made outstanding contributions to many college programs, including efforts to recruit and support minority students.

Psychology

                                            Meet Professor James Gordon
                                            Psychology Professor James Gordon studies the neural
                                            mechanisms that underlie human visual perception. His
                                            research focuses on color and pattern vision and the way they
                                            develop from infancy through adulthood. He also studies how
                                            people can detect abnormalities in the visual pathway with a
                                            goal of devising methods for the early detection of visual
                                            problems, such as amblyopia and glaucoma. Dr. Gordon
                                            teaches an undergraduate course in experimental psychology
                                            and graduate courses in behavioral and sensory neuroscience.

Health Sciences

Nursing

                                           Meet Professor Diane Rendon
                                           Dr. Diane Rendon is the Director of the Hunter-Bellevue School
                                           of Nursing, a post she has held for the past 10 years.
                                           A member of the faculty for 25 years, Dr. Rendon is an
                                           associate professor whose service is testimony to a
                                           commitment to educate nurses to meet the health care needs of
                                           our diverse urban population. Her research and teaching are in
                                           the areas of psychiatric nursing and psycho social gerontology.