TUCKER, GA, January 19, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Kate McKnelly, PhD, has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

Dr. McKnelly has established herself as an expert in chemistry and currently serves as an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Emory University. Since 2020, she has taught courses such as Structure and Properties and Macromolecules, designed instructional materials, written examinations, graded assignments and maintained office hours to support student learning. Her commitment to innovative pedagogy is evident in her pioneering work on alternative grading techniques. Dr. McKnelly's research and publications in this area have provided a foundation for others in the field of chemistry to explore and implement these approaches, marking a significant contribution to the discipline.

Prior to joining Emory University, while a graduate student, Dr. McKnelly was a safety fellow at the University of California, Irvine from 2019 to 2020. In this capacity, she promoted laboratory safety protocols and contributed to the development of safe practices for research environments. Concurrently, she was also a pedagogical fellow at the University of California, Irvine from 2018 to 2020, where she focused on advancing teaching methodologies and supporting the professional development of graduate instructors.

Dr. McKnelly earned a Doctor of Philosophy in chemistry, specializing in chemical biology, from the University of California, Irvine, in 2020. Before that, she completed a Master of Science in chemical biology and drug design at the University of Leeds in 2015 and a Bachelor of Science in chemical biology at the University of California, Berkeley, in 2013. Her early exposure to research included work as a trainee at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in 2012 and as a laboratory assistant at the University of California, San Francisco, from 2013 to 2014. Initially drawn to mathematics, a pivotal chemistry course at Berkeley inspired Dr. McKnelly to pursue a career in chemical research.

Dr. McKnelly has made significant scholarly contributions through her co-authorship of several influential publications across leading scientific journals. Her work includes "Specifications Grading at Scale: Improved Letter Grades and Grading-Related Interactions in a Course with over 1,000 Students" published in the Journal of Chemical Education in 2023, "Implementation of Specifications Grading in an Upper-Division Chemical Biology Lecture Course" in The Biophysicist in 2023, and "Effects of Familial Alzheimer's Disease Mutations on the Assembly of a ß-Hairpin Peptide Derived from Aß16–36" in Biochemistry in 2022.

In addition to these works, Dr. McKnelly's co-authorship contributions include "Macrocyclic Peptides Derived from Familial Alzheimer's Disease Mutants Show Charge-Dependent Oligomeric Assembly and Toxicity," published in ACS Chemical Neuroscience in 2022, as well as "Redesigning a 'Writing for Chemists' Course Using Specifications Grading," published in the Journal of Chemical Education in 2021, among other collaborative works. Dr. McKnelly's research achievements have earned her recognition through the Outstanding Future Faculty Award.

Reflecting on her career, Dr. McKnelly attributes her success to persistence and perseverance, particularly in navigating challenges associated with underrepresentation in her field. She emphasizes the importance of pursuing one's interests with determination and encourages others facing similar obstacles to remain steadfast in their ambitions.

Outside her professional endeavors, Dr. McKnelly enjoys hiking, writing and spending time with others. Looking ahead, she aspires to advance to the associate teaching level and is dedicated to supporting her department in student-centered pursuits. She values working within an environment committed to student growth and aims to enhance training for teaching assistants, recognizing their role as future faculty members. Dr. McKnelly seeks to improve resources and structures that support graduate teaching development amid evolving educational pedagogies.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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