NSME new faculty: Dr. Philip Shivokevich

Department of Chemistry

By California State University, Bakersfield

August 23^rd, 2021

After a life spent on the east coast, Dr. Philip Shivokevich set off on a cross-country move to join CSUB’s chemistry department as a full-time lecturer. Originally from the Adirondacks of New York state, not far from the Canadian border, Dr. Shivokevich earned bachelor’s degrees in both chemistry and history from the State University of New York (SUNY) Plattsburgh before going on to the University of Virginia to complete his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry.

Most recently a visiting professor at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Dr. Shivokevich will be teaching CSUB’s chemistry department's inorganic courses and labs, as well as helping out with introductory chemistry instruction in the classroom and the laboratory.

“I'm very excited to finally be teaching in my field and will be weaving in connections from the other chemistry disciplines that I've gained from my previous courses,” Dr. Shivokevich said. “I'm also looking forward to getting in with the freshmen and helping students establish their chemical foundations. I love working with fresh young scientists and helping them establish connections between topics and other scientific disciplines.”

Dr. Shivokevich’s research interests include scaffolds for metallic atoms. These scaffolds help to stabilize metals and dictate their reactivity, he explained, and have a broad range of applications from protein modeling to biological and environmental sensors, to catalyst development. He hopes to collaborate with colleagues and students on related projects.

“I'm excited to be joining the CSUB faculty!” Dr. Shivokevich said. “I am very much looking forward to crafting my inorganic courses and making connections to the rich educational climate that has been established within the department.”

In his free time, Dr. Shivokevich enjoys backpacking, kayaking and woodworking, as well as building and restoring wooden boats. An outdoorsman, Dr. Shivokevich is eager to explore all that California has to offer.

“I have lived my entire life on the east coast, so this will be a big move for me,” he said. “I am excited to explore the expanse of the American West, especially the Sequoias just off the horizon. I'm an outdoor enthusiast so spending some weekends out among the big trees is especially exciting.”