Crystal Keso

Instructor

Contact Information:

Office: 3135 Weston
Phone: (906) 227-2914
e-mail: ckeso@nmu.edu

Hello, here is a bit of background information about me. I am a Marquette, MI native and just recently returned to the U.P. after living away for almost 20 years.  I have a BA in Chemistry with a minor in Spanish from Albion College in Albion, MI.  While studying at Albion, I was part of Dr. Andrew French’s research group and did projects focused on organic synthesis of iodine compounds. After Albion, I attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign and received a MS degree in Chemistry.  I was a part of Dr. Ken Suslick’s research group and did work focused on a chemical sensor to detect volatile organic chemicals and metabolites from bacteria.  My next adventure in life brought me to Rochester, MN and Mayo Clinic.  My career at Mayo included being a Development Technologist for Clinical Trial Services and Quality Specialist for the Tissue Typing and Clinical Genome Sequencing Laboratories.  I started teaching in the Chemistry Department at NMU in the fall of 2018. My main focus areas of teaching are biochemistry, forensic biochemistry, and general chemistry. I currently advise students who have declared a major in biochemistry or forensic biochemistry. I am very interested in the science of learning and I love talking to students about their interests and future careers.

Outside of my career life I have a son, two friendly cats, and a dog.  I enjoy running, biking, yoga, swimming, hiking, knitting, gardening, and reading.

If you are interested in reading more about my teaching style, please read my philosophy of teaching document.

If you would like to learn more about the science behind learning, please check out some of these books that I recommend:

  • Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning by Peter C. Brown, Henry L. Roediger III, and Mark A. McDaniel
  • Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck
  • Teach Students How to Learn: Strategies You Can Incorporate Into Any Course to Improve Student Metacognition, Study Skills, and Motivation by Saundra Yancy McGuire

If you would like to help with choosing a future career path, please check out this book that I used when changing careers from being a Quality Specialist at Mayo Clinic to a Chemistry Instructor at NMU.

  • The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success by Nicholas Lore
Crystal Keso