Jessica Tischler

Jessica Tischler is a professor of organic chemistry in the Department of Green Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Michigan-Flint. Dr. Tischler received a B.S. in Chemistry from Saginaw Valley State University in 1995. In 2001, she received her Ph.D. from Michigan State University. While working for Dr. John Frost at MSU, Jessica conducted research in the areas of Green Chemistry and Biocatalysis while studying in the division of Organic Chemistry. Jessica started at UM-Flint in 2001 and regularly teaches organic chemistry I and II lecture and labs as well as the capstone seminar courses. While at UM-Flint, Jessica’s research broadened to include investigations into simplified paclitaxel analogs and inhibitors of the regulatory protein, histone deacetlyase. Currently, Dr. Tischler’s research is focused on a green reductive amination reaction that involves dialkylformamides and subcritical water as a simplified method to convert aldehydes to tertiary amines. She also continues to develop green organic teaching materials including modules for the ACS-Green Chemistry Institute. In 2024, she received a ACS-Committee on Environment and Sustainability Award for Incorporating Sustainability into Chemistry Education.

In 2008, Dr. Tischler was promoted to Associate Professor and from 2012-2018 was Chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She also served as one of the founding co-Chairs of the UM-Flint Women’s Commission that began in 2014. In this role, she also served for four years as an Institutional Representative to the MI-ACE Women’s Network for UM-Flint. In 2018, Jessica was asked to be a part of an event that could bring together the Detroit and Midland's ACS section's Women's Chemist Committees. They created the annual Skills Beyond the Bench discussion panel and networking event which Jessica continues to coordinate and host. The group has now expanded to include the Huron Valley ACS Local Section and Regional and Midland NOBCChE members. Because of the event's success the first year, she was recognized with a Salutes to Excellence Award from the Detroit section of the ACS.

In 2002, she reinstated the Chemistry Club as a Student Chapter of the ACS. Since then, the Chem Club has been continuously recognized by the ACS with a Chapter Award and has received their top award of Outstanding ten times--the level awarded to only the top ~5% of Chapters in the country. Jessica has proudly served as their advisor since the beginning and actively works to support students and promote science outreach in their community. Because of her work with students, the community, and advocating for women in STEM, she has received the following awards from UM-Flint: Dorothea E. Wyatt Award (2021), Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Senior Faculty Award (2019), Lawrence D. Kugler Academic Advisor Excellence Award (2016), Dr. Charles W. Bailey Advisor Award (2013), and Lucinda Hinsdale Stone Junior Women Faculty Award (2005). In 2023, she received the Sarah Goddard Power Award from the University of Michigan Academic Women’s Caucus and in 2018, the Distinguished Diversity Leaders Team Award was given to UM-Flint’s Women’s Commission while she a member and Co-Chair.