As a 15-year-old in Erie, Pa., Seley was taking college courses and doing genetics research at local Gannon University while still in high school.

After graduating, she enrolled at Penn State University to study genetics but, after only a year, Seley dropped out to follow her then-fiance when he was transferred with his job. The couple married and had two daughters, but Seley felt that by leaving her education unfinished, she had set aside an untapped potential within herself.

Between the births of Tristan in 1980 and Alexandra "Ali" in 1984, Seley began taking classes at St. Petersburg Junior College in Florida, then earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of South Florida in 1992 and began work on her doctorate.

After she earned her doctorate from Auburn University in 1996, Seley became a postdoctoral fellow and ran a research group in medicinal chemistry. She also served as a visiting assistant professor of chemistry. In 1998, Seley joined Tech’s School of Chemistry and Biochemistry as an assistant professor.

"It is a very exciting and dynamic department and I was intrigued by the department’s potential with regard to the collaboration opportunities with Emory and the multidisciplinary aspect of the new Bioengineering and Bioscience building," she says.

Seley is involved in such initiatives as anti-cancer and anti-viral research, drug design and the prevention of bio-terrorism.

She has received funding from the U.S. Department of Defense for work in bio-defense.

Last summer, Seley traveled to Russia with the defense department’s Cooperative Biodefense Research Program to investigate smallpox and other infectious diseases considered to be potential bioterroristic threats. She is slated to visit Russia twice in 2003.

Seley was named the 2002 Class of 1940 W. Howard Ector Outstanding Teacher of the Year at Tech. She says it is gratifying not only to watch students grasp the concepts she teaches, but to impart the love of chemistry to others.

©2003 Georgia Tech Alumni Association