Faculty Profile

Karisa Pierce

Karisa Pierce

Professor of Chemistry; Chair of Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Email: piercek@spu.edu
Phone: 206-281-2102
Office: Eaton 304


Education: BS, Seattle University, 2002; PhD, University of Washington, 2007. At SPU since 2008.

Professor Pierce teaches courses that include quantitative analysis, analytical instrumentation, general chemistry, science for nonmajors, and a seminar for intended majors with research methods. Professor Pierce’s research involves gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography, spectrophotometry, and dynamic mobility spectrometry.  Her research includes investigating complex samples for purposes such as determining chemical differences among complex samples, identifying and quantifying toxins in marine organisms, identifying and quantifying analytes in environmental samples, and developing applications for differential mobility spectrometry.


Book Chapters Authored

  • DK Pinkerton, KM Pierce, RE Synovec. Series: Data Handling in Science and Technology. Volume 30: Resolving Spectral Mixtures. Chapter 10: Chemometric Resolution of Complex Higher Order Chromatographic Data with Spectral Detection, Ed. Cyril Ruckebusch, 2016, Elsevier, Oxford, ISBN-13: 978-0444636386.
  • KM Pierce, BA Parsons, RE Synovec. Series: Data Handling in Science and Technology. Volume 29: Fundamentals and Analytical Applications of Multi-way Calibration. Chapter 10: Pixel-level data analysis methods for comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography, Ed. AC Olivieri, 2015, Elsevier, Oxford, ISBN-13: 9780-444635273.
  • KM Pierce, JS Nadeau, RE Synovec.  Handbook of Separation Science: Gas Chromatography Chapter 17: Data Analysis Methods, Ed. Colin F. Poole, 2012, Elsevier, Oxford, ISBN 9780123855404.

Selected Publications

  • 28. D Pasupuleti, GA Eiceman, KM Pierce. Talanta (2016) 155:278-288.
  • 25. ML Strawn, ET Lunsford, LE Larsen, MM Moran, V Allbritton, RP Ferrer, KM Pierce. Journal of Environmental Analytical Chemistry (2015) Volume 2 Issue 4: 148-153. //dx.doi.org/10.4172/jreac.1000148.
  • 22. KM Pierce, JC Hoggard. Analytical Methods (2014) 6 (3): 645 – 653.
  • 21. KM Pierce, B Kehimkar, L Marney, JC Hoggard, RE Synovec. Journal of Chromatography A (2012) 1255: 3–11.
  • 19. Stephen P. Schale, Trang M. Le, KM Pierce. Talanta (2012) 94: 320–327.

Please view Dr. Pierce’s CV (PDF) for more information.

Karisa Pierce

Why I Teach at SPU

Karisa Pierce, Professor of Chemistry

“Teaching at SPU encourages me to grow in knowledge, seek wisdom, and think about values. Students can flourish here and I feel like I can flourish at SPU, as well.  I constantly have opportunities to help people, I get to teach about good experimental design, data integrity, and modeling/predicting chemical phenomena. I can look for joy in the toil and encourage students to do the same. I get to experience students' delightful moments of learning and I try to convey meaningful learning objectives that last beyond the classroom. Some of my favorite moments are when alumni send a message or just pop in for a visit.”