Sean Lyons

College of Science

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Chemistry master’s student Sean Lyons enjoys exploring the outdoors through running, hiking and skiing. These interests led him from his home state ofNew York to the mountains of Utah. Ultimately, he entered USU, where he was able to combine his passions for chemistry and the outdoors, by beginning his environmental chemistry research. Lyons’ research focuses on developing a model to predict the fate of pesticides following their application to agricultural fields, with a focus on the photochemistry of these chemicals on leaves. This work will hopefully protect the environment and sensitive organisms, such as important pollinators like bees, by resulting in decreased, more effective usage of pesticides by farmers. Prior to USU, Lyons received degrees in chemistry and adolescent education from the State University of New York (SUNY) Oswego, where he first became passionate about environmental issues. Following graduation from Oswego, Lyons taught high school chemistry in central New York state. He hopes to find a career as a chemistry instructor at the community college/undergraduate level, so he can continue working with students and the content he loves.