David Laviska, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

After spending the first decade of my professional life working as an analytical chemist with the U.S. EPA, I returned to graduate school at Rutgers University and studied organometallic chemistry and catalysis with Alan S. Goldman. After graduating in 2013, I started my academic career by teaching in full-time visiting positions at several excellent institutions, and then joined Seton Hall in 2017.

I am currently teaching General Chemistry and helping our first-year students build a solid foundation for their future studies in the STEM disciplines. As a committed advocate for diversity in the sciences, I work to ensure that students from underrepresented groups are supported and made aware of institutional resources that will help them succeed.

My research interests include several applications utilizing late transition metal complexes: hetero- and homogeneous catalysis, synthesis of new materials with unique optical properties, and small molecule activation. In addition, as a member of the Center for Applied Catalysis and Green Chemistry, I value the concepts of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Accordingly, the principles of green chemistry are applied across all the projects in my laboratory. Several of my enthusiastic undergraduate researchers are working on developing and piloting green(er) experimental methods for both undergraduate course curricula and applied research.