CHEMISTRY
Interdisciplinary Innovator
Sean Decatur
Title: The Marilyn Dawson Sarles Professor of
Life Sciences and Professor of Chemistry and Associate
Dean of Faculty for Science, Mount Holyoke College
Education: Ph.D., Chemistry, Stanford University;
B.A., Chemistry, Swarthmore College
Age: 38
It’s hard to predict where the career path of Dr. Sean M. Decatur may ultimately lead, considering that the Mount Holyoke College chemist thrives as a research scientist, a classroom professor and as an academic administrator. He’s already proven himself to be a top-notch biophysical chemistry researcher and an innovative teacher at the South Hadley, Mass.-based women’s college. But more recently, the part-time dean has shown that he also has the leadership and organizational skills to excel in higher education administration.
“Sean has that rare combination of scientific talent and superb organizational skills,” says Dr. Jonathan King, a research collaborator with Decatur and a professor of molecular biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Currently, Decatur holds an endowed professorship while serving as associate dean of faculty for science. He also manages a productive research laboratory and carries a half-time teaching load. An expert in biophysical chemistry, the Cleveland native largely studies how proteins function and develop, and how their malfunctions are linked to diseases like Alzheimer’s.
