Anna Sigmon

Dr. Anna Sigmon joined the faculty at Penn State Brandywine in fall 2020. She holds both a PhD in chemistry from The University of Texas at Austin and a JD from George Washington University. Prior to working in academia, Anna worked as a patent lawyer in the private sector.

Dr. Sigmon’s current research is focused on two areas: the synthesis of bioactive small molecules and chemical education pedagogy. Her small molecule research involves the synthesis, structural elucidation and biological testing of novel, flavonoid-based compounds with potential medicinal applications. Flavonoids encompass a large group of naturally occurring compounds that possess a huge diversity of health benefits. They are found in everyday sources including chocolate, red wine and green tea. Dr. Sigmon is synthesizing a variety of flavonoid derivatives for potential anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-aging applications.

Dr. Sigmon’s pedagogy research focuses on the development of collaborative, active learning methodologies for use in the chemistry classroom. Recently, she published an article on the use of a social annotation platform to enhance a flipped organic chemistry course by facilitating collaborative, asynchronous interactions with flipped content.