Education: Ph.D., The Johns Hopkins University, B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Cindy Molitor brings a wealth of experiences to Lourdes University in the Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences. Dr. Molitor earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her doctorate in chemical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. Her research focused on the solubility of fluorocopolymer supercritical fluid mixtures, leading her to work with Teflon® copolymers at The DuPont Company. She used her skills as a Fluoroproducts Division Engineer at the world’s largest manufacturing plant of DuPont for two years and then as a Semi-works Supervisor and Research Engineer working with fluoroionomer membranes for fuel cells. She has co-authored several publications in peer-reviewed journals and holds two U.S. patents on fluoropolymer processing.
Dr. Molitor is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Physics; Dr. Molitor has taught over twenty different courses at Lourdes University, ranging from general chemistry for science majors to pre-nursing chemistry courses and introductory forensic chemistry for non-science majors to college physics courses for pre-med and pre-vet students. She has served as Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences for nine years, involving cross-disciplinary collaboration since the Department serves a wide range of programs, including Biology, Nursing, and Education. Dr. Molitor has conducted chemical education research with colleagues in the Department. She has taught within the NSF-sponsored NURTURES grant to help K-3rd grade teachers incorporate science lessons and pedagogy into their curriculum.
Dr. Molitor has served as Vice President of the Faculty Senate, Chair of the Faculty Workload and Compensation Committee, Chair of the Health, Safety, and Environment Committee, Chair of the Emergency Preparedness Committee, and Member of the Assessment Committee, Teaching and Faculty Life Committee, Research Symposium Planning Committee, HLC Persistence and Completion Team, Education Advisory Committee, Criminal Justice Advisory Committee, and many faculty search committees. She feels strongly about taking care of the environment by recycling and helps plan the annual Zero Waste Lunch as part of the Saint Francis Week celebration for the Lourdes community. She appreciates the Franciscan Pilgrimage experience and encourages all students, faculty, and staff to apply for the program.
Dr. Molitor also serves as the Honors Program Director for the University. Since its launch in 2015, she has devoted much time and effort to running the program, including multi-department collaboration for Honors course offerings, collaboration with Deans and Colleges, Honors advising, curricular changes, co-curricular programming, student recruitment, leadership of the Honors Council, and implementing changes to improve the Honors Program.
Dr. Molitor enjoys spending time with her family, who has three growing children, a busy husband, two rescued dogs, and multiple small pets. She actively volunteers in her children’s schools and their scout troops. She is the Troop Leader of her youngest daughter’s Girl Scouts Troop and has served as Treasurer of her son’s Cub Scouts Pack. Her family is active in local 5k’s and science outreach. She has organized over ten years of summer science camps sponsored by the Department. She has also volunteered with National Chemistry Week STEM outreach events through the American Chemical Society and the Department’s annual Lourdes Chemistry Day.
Conference Presentations
Molitor, C. “Building Scientific Literacy” 2014 NWO Symposium on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teaching, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, Nov. 1, 2014.
Molitor, C. “A Forensics Approach to STEM (and STEAM)” 2013 NWO Annual Symposium on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teaching, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH, Nov. 2, 2013.
Molitor, C. “Bringing CSI into the Classroom” Northwest Ohio Symposium on Science, Math, and Technology Teaching, Penta Career Center, Perrysburg, OH, Nov. 5, 2011.
Scholarship
‘Scientist’ involved in lesson planning and teaching within the NSF-funded NURTURES (Networking Urban Resources with Teachers and University to enRich Early Childhood Science) Summer Institute aimed to increase preK-3 teachers’ science content knowledge, understanding of science standards, and pedagogical practices in science instruction. NURTURES is a partnership between the University of Toledo (education, engineering, and natural sciences disciplines), Northwest Ohio/Southeast Michigan public schools, daycare centers and nursery schools, informal science centers, and community resources, working to create a complementary, integrated system of science education for preschool through third grade. (2012-2016)
Patents
Mertdogan, C. A. “Fluoropolymer Finishing Process”, U. S. Patent 6,416,698 (July 9, 2002)
Tuminello, W. H.; McHugh, M. A.; Mertdogan, C. A. “Solutions of perfluorinated polymers in SF6 with or without CO2”, U. S. Patent 5,696,195 (December 9, 1997).
Journal Articles
Mertdogan, C. A.; McHugh, M. A.; Tuminello, W. H. “Cosolvency effect of SF6 on the solubility of poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-19 mol % hexafluoropropylene) in supercritical CO2 and CHF3”, Journal of Applied Polymer Science (1999), 74, 2039-2045.
McHugh, M. A.; Mertdogan, C. A.; DiNoia, T. P.; Anolick, C. A.; Tuminello, W. H.; Wheland, R. “Impact of melting temperature on poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-hexafluoropropylene) solubility in supercritical fluid solvents”, Macromolecules (1998), 31, 2252-2254.
Mertdogan, C. A.; McHugh, M. A.; Barth, H. G.; Walls, D. J.; Tuminello, W. H. “Supercritical Fractionation of A Perfluorinated Copolymer” International Journal of Polymer Analysis and Characterization (1998), 4(3), 231-246.
Mertdogan, C. A.; DiNoia, T. P.; McHugh, M. A. “Impact of backbone architecture on the solubility of fluorocopolymers in supercritical CO2 and halogenated supercritical solvents: Comparison of poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-22 mol % hexafluoropropylene) and poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-19 mol % hexafluoropropylene)”, Macromolecules (1997), 30, 7511-7515.
Mertdogan, C. A.; McHugh, M. A.; Barth, H. G.; Walls, D. J.; Tuminello, W. H. “Supercritical fractionation of a perfluorinated copolymer”, International Journal of Polymer Analysis and Characterization (1997), 4, 231-246.
Mertdogan, C. A.; Byun, H. S.; McHugh, M. A.; Tuminello, W. H. “Solubility of poly(tetrafluoroethylene-co-19 mol % hexafluoropropylene) in supercritical CO2 and halogenated supercritical solvents, Macromolecules (1996), 29, 6548-6555.
Memberships
American Chemical Society (ACS)
American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
Society for College Science Teachers (SCST)
Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
Recent Positions
Honors Program Director, 2014-Present
Department of Chemistry and Physical Sciences Chair, 2009-Present
Honors Council Chair, 2015-Present
HLC Persistence and Completion Team Member, 2016-Present
Assessment Committee Member, 2015-Present
Workload and Compensation Committee Chair, 2013-2016, Member 2011-2016, 2006-2009
Teaching and Faculty Life Committee Secretary 2006-2007, Member 2006-2011
Faculty Senate Vice President 2009-2010, Senator 2007-2010
Research Symposium Planning Committee Member, 2006-2010
Emergency Preparedness Committee co-Chair, 2006-2007, Member 2006-2008
Health, Safety, and Environment Committee Chair, 2002-2007, Member 2001-2009
Criminal Justice Advisory Committee Member, 2009-2017
Education Advisory Committee Member, 2009-2016
BIO/CHM 402: Introduction to Research
CHM 104 (now CHM 182) General College Chemistry II
CHM/CHL 111: Introduction to General and Organic Chemistry (Lecture & Laboratory)
CHM/CHL 121: An Introduction to General Chemistry (Lecture)
CHM/CHL 122: An Introduction to Organic Chemistry (Lecture)
CHM 167: CSI – An Introduction to Forensic Chemistry
CHM/CHL 211: Nutritional Chemistry (Lecture & Laboratory)
CHM/CHL 221: An Introduction to Biochemistry (Lecture & Laboratory)
CHM/CHL 222: Nutritional Chemistry (Lecture & Laboratory)
CHM 304: Physical Chemistry
CHL 304: Physical Chemistry Laboratory
HON 300: Honors Seminar 1: Methods and Theories
MLS 610: Natural Sciences (Graduate course)
PHS/PLA 201: College Physics I – Lecture (Algebra-based Lecture)
PHS/PLA 202: College Physics II – Lecture (Algebra-based Lecture)
PHS/PLA 301: College Physics I – Lecture (Calculus-based Lecture)
PHS/PLA 302: College Physics II – Lecture (Calculus-based Lecture)
