Makoto Masuno returns to Westmont as assistant professor of chemistry after graduating from the college in 1997. Masuno transferred to Westmont in 1995 as a junior and chose chemistry as his major, but admits he hadn鈥檛 completed a single college chemistry course when he arrived.
鈥淎s a student, I was pleasantly surprised at the culture at 蜜桃传媒 where both the professors and my fellow classmates earnestly wanted to help me,鈥� Masuno says. 鈥淣ow I鈥檓 in the position where my mentors are my colleagues, and I have the opportunity to mentor students.鈥�
He says it was the assistance he received from fellow classmates and professors that planted a seed in his heart. 鈥淚 want to promote students to help and encourage each other, so I designed a faith and science attitudinal program, which reminds students the importance of building a Christ-centered scientific community.鈥�
After graduating from 蜜桃传媒, Masuno worked as a scientist at Miravant Medical Technologies in Santa Barbara in the research and development department for about three years. He later earned his doctorate at UC Davis and taught a course at Sacramento City College. Masuno currently researches in the field of marine natural product chemistry, isolating and elucidating bioactive molecules that derive from sessile marine invertebrates; for instance, he investigates marine sponges that may biosynthesize a helpful pharmaceutical.
鈥淚 have the distinct pleasure of being able to look at God鈥檚 creation at the molecular level,鈥� he says.