Banita Brown

Some people never have to choose their career because they have always known their calling. This was precisely the case for Dr. Banita Brown. After taking her first high school chemistry class, she knew that a career in Chemistry was in her future. Dr. Brown holds a B.S. degree in General Chemistry from Furman University and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from The University of Miami. After completing her Ph.D., she spent time at Georgia Institute of Technology for post-doctoral studies which focused on creating antidotes to be used against agents of chemical warfare.

Dr. Brown is currently Associate Professor of Chemistry and has been a full-time professor at UNC Charlotte for over 15 years. She truly enjoys teaching, but often has to help students overcome their initial intimidation of her Organic Chemistry lecture and lab, which Dr. Brown acknowledges as being a difficult course. Apart from encouraging students to study hard, she persuades students to get involved with the department, to gain beneficial experiences in research and utilize other resources that faculty members offer. Dr. Brown is also the Director of the McNair Program. The McNair program targets students who are first generation and limited income as well as students from underrepresented groups and exposes them to the experience and knowledge necessary to prepare them to pursue graduate studies. Many McNair Scholars commonly present their research across the country at symposia in many different subject areas.

Dr. Brown's love for chemistry is not limited to the classroom. Her current research focus involves the synthesis of macrocyclic lariat polyethers containing various sidearms. What exactly does that mean? For the rest of us who do not speak the language of chemistry, Dr. Brown works to develop molecules and materials which may be used for various applications. She also makes it a priority to involve several undergraduates as assistants in her research endeavors.