Focus on RVCC Faculty

Sarah A. (Tabacco) Imbriglio
Assistant Professor, Chemistry

“I believe that one of the keys to teaching science is relevance. By putting seemingly abstract information into a context that students can relate to, one can make difficult concepts much more comprehensible. I also think there is no substitute for enthusiasm and passion in the classroom—it really can be contagious!”

Education

PhD, Organic Chemistry,
University of California, Irvine
BS, Chemistry (Highest Honors)
University of California, Berkeley

Professional Experience

Instructor,
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Teaching Assistant,
University of California, Irvine
Teaching Assistant,
University of California, Berkeley

Awards/Honors

Everett Moore Baker Memorial Award
for Excellence in Teaching, MIT
Dean’s Educational and Student Advising Award,
School of Science, MIT
School of Science Spot Appreciation Award, MIT
AAUW American Dissertation Fellowship,
American Association of University Women
ACS Division of Organic Chemistry Graduate Fellowship,
American Chemical Society,
sponsored by Schering Plough
Erich O. and Elly M. Saegebarth Prize in Chemistry,
University of California, Berkeley

Scientific Papers

L. Ayala, C. G. Lucero, J.A.C. Romero, S.A. Tabacco, K.A. Woerpel,
“Stereochemistry of Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions Depending Upon Substituent: Evidence for Electrostatic Stabilization of Pseudo-Axial Conformers of Oxocarbenium Ions by Heteroatom Substituents.” Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2003

J.A.C. Romero, S.A. Tabacco, K.A. Woerpel, “Stereochemical Reversal of Nucleophilic Substitution Reactions Depending Upon Substituent: Reactions of Heteroatom-Substituted Six-Membered Ring Oxocarbenium Ions Through Pseudo-Axial Conformers.”
Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2000