Chemistry

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Dr. Craig Luehr had an eye for teaching even as a chemist in the corporate world, and after 11 years in industry research, he chose mentoring over manufacturing.

"The executives wanted new products developed faster than we could do realistically," he recalls. "My interests lay more in watching scientists grow and develop. I took greater joy in teaching people as I worked with them, so I thought a career change might be best."

Luehr left Sanofi Diagnostics Pasteur, a pharmaceuticals company where he developed blood tests for hospitals, and started teaching at Greenville College in 1997. Looking to move to an institution more aligned with his religious beliefs, he joined Trinity's faculty three years later. One of his priorities as a chemistry professor is to help his students take ownership of a subject whose bark is bigger than its bite.

"Many of my students are intimidated at first and are concerned that they may not do well in the course," he says. "I try to teach them how to teach themselves. They have to put the work into the class by reading and studying, and it's their responsibility to learn the material; I can only lead them to it. Chemistry has a lot of logic that fits together like a puzzle, and when students think in those logical terms, they have an easier time understanding it."

After growing up in South Sioux City, Nebraska, Luehr stayed in his home state to attend the University of Nebraska, attaining his bachelor's in microbiology and doctorate in chemistry. He completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the Harvard Medical School in 1986 before taking a research position at Baxter Healthcare Corp. for three years. He then accepted a post as research and development manager at Sanofi in Chaska, Minnesota, prior to embarking on his teaching career.

He and his wife, Deb, home-schooled their two children, Kristin and Nathan (a senior at Trinity), through the 12th grade. Although they had the choice of attending high school, the kids wanted to continue their education at home after finishing eighth grade.

"It gave us flexibility to do some other things in the home and as a family. Deb was a teacher, so she obviously was qualified to handle it. The kids were done with their schoolwork by noon, so they had time to get involved in other activities and opportunities that may have been unavailable at a school."

The Luehrs enjoy hiking, camping, and caving, and the family has seen or lived in each of the 48 contiguous states. Craig and Deb reside in Alsip, Illinois, and attend Bible Fellowship Church in Oak Forest, Illinois.