Education
PhD  University of Baja California, Mexico  2001
MS   University of Baja California, Mexico 1994
BS    University National Autonomous of Mexico, Mexico 1987

Courses
CHEM 100 Our Chemical Environment
CHEM 105 General Chemistry I Lab
CHEM 106 General Chemistry II Lecture/Lab
CHEM 205 Quantitative Analysis Lecture
CHEM 206 Quantitative Analysis Lab
CHEM 300 Chemistry of Natural Waters
CHEM 375 Instrumental Analysis Lecture
CHEM 376 Instrumental Analysis Lab
CHEM 491 Senior Research
FYS 107 First Year Seminar: NCIS Forensic Science

Role as Faculty
Teaching brings me a profound satisfaction and experience. My goal is to help students have a basis for solving complex problems in chemistry, and to teach critical thinking. In chemistry courses, laboratories are essentials; however, many students feel afraid to experiment. In my lab courses I always encourage students to learn from their mistakes and feel confident experimenting.

Research Interests
Environmental chemistry pollution. My research includes extraction, identification, and quantification of persistent organic pollutants, POPs, in sediments, tissues, water and plastic debris. I found several POPs adsorbed on plastic debris such as PCBs, PAHs, and organochlorinated pesticides that may have negative effect on hormones of the animals that are ingesting plastic particles. To understand this effect, I am studying estrogen receptors using computer models and the Quantum Chemical Theory to calculate the interaction between POPs and the hormone receptors. Currently, I am working on biofuel project on the identification of different esters from the biofuel using mass spectrometry.

Publications
Rios, Lorena M., Jones, Patrick.R., Moore, Charles, and Narayan, Urja. 2010. Quantitation of Persistent Organic Pollutants Adsorbed on Plastic Debris from the Northern Pacific Gyres's "Eastern Garbage Patch." Journal Environmental Monitoring 12:2226-2236.

Rios, Lorena M., Moore, Ch. Jones, P.R. 2007. Persistent organic pollutants carried by synthetic polymers in the ocean environment.Mar. Pollut. Bull. 54,1230-1237

Rios, Lorena M., J. Vinicio Macias-Zamora, Alberto, R. Zirino. 2003. Iridio: Una opción para medir el potencial redox.Ciencias Marinas, 29(4):509-520.           

Macías-Zamora, J. V., Sánchez-Osorio J. L., Rios-Mendoza, L., Ramírez-Alvarez, N. and López-Sánchez, D. Trace metals in sediments and Zostera marina of San Ignacio and Ojo de Liebre in the Central Pacific Coast of Baja California. Mexico. Archives of Environment Contamination and Toxicology, DOI 10.1007/s00244-007-9115-0.

Gutierrez-Galindo, E.A., Rios-Mendoa, L.M.,Villaescusa-Celaya, J. 1998. Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Marine Sediments of The Baja California (México)-California (USA) Border Zone. Mar. Poll. Bull., 36[1]:27-31.

Holm-Hansen O., Hewes, D. Ch., Maturana, J., Rios-Mendoza, L.M., Gónzales-Rodas, G. "AMLR program: Phytoplankton Distribution and its Relationship to Different Water Zones Characterized by Physical Oceanographic Parameters, January-February 1997". Antartic Journal of the United States.