Stephen Contakes, Ph.D.

Dr. Contakes earned his doctorate at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign after completing undergraduate degrees in chemistry and chemical engineering at Lehigh University. After subsequent postdoctoral research in bioinorganic and biophysical chemistry at Caltech, he taught at Azusa Pacific University for one year before arriving at Westmont. At Westmont he teaches courses in inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry as well as a liberal arts chemistry course for nonmajors.  His research, published in more than a dozen scientific journals, involves the synthesis of molecular assemblies and light-driven electron transfer catalysts for water remediation applications. He and his wife have three sons.