Dr. Stephen Summers, Associate Dean

Biography

Dr. Stephen Summers was raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, and attended the International Studies Academy at Withrow High School. There, he successfully earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma in 1986, passing IB examinations in psychology, English, history, French, mathematics and chemistry. He also served as the co-captain of the swim team and was the first-chair trumpet player in the concert and marching bands.

Dr. Summers' undergraduate years were spent at DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind., where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chemistry and a minor in English Literature in 1990. While there, he pursued an undergraduate research project in chemistry. He also expanded his interest in music and the arts by participating in the Festival and Concert choirs, as well as several opera and musical theatre productions.

After visits to graduate schools around the country, Summers pursued a doctorate in inorganic chemistry at the University of Florida, where he worked with Dr. Gus Palenik on the syntheses, x-ray crystal structures and antibacterial activities of several complexes containing bismuth, manganese, gadolinium, europium and yttrium. He was awarded a Ph.D. in Chemistry in 1994, after completing and defending his dissertation.

Realizing his passion for teaching, Dr. Summers pursued a position as a chemistry instructor. He was hired by Seminole State in August 1994 and has remained at the College since, serving as a chemistry professor and, more recently, chair of the Physical Sciences Department.

Throughout his career, Dr. Summers has been a presenter and symposium organizer at several meetings of the American Chemical Society as well as several biennial conferences on chemical education. He is particularly proud to have served as faculty advisor to the UNITY student group and to have been fortunate enough to attend the 2005 Salzburg Seminar in Salzburg, Austria.

Outside of Seminole State, Dr. Summers continues to pursue his interest in the arts. He is a singing member in The Orlando Chorale, a choral arts organization for which he also serves as board chair.