Ruth Ann Murphy, PhD, earned a BS in chemistry and a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin with additional graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin- Madison. After teaching appointments in chemistry at Southwestern University, Georgetown, Texas, and the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, she served as chemistry coordinator and assistant professor at the University of Albuquerque. As professor of chemistry, she then chaired the Division of Science and Math at Howard Payne University, Brownwood, Texas. Since 1995 Dr. Murphy has taught at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas, where she chairs the Department of Chemistry, Environmental Science, and Geology, holds the Amy LeVesconte Professorship of Chemistry, directs the Recycling Program, co-chairs the Health Professions Advisory Committee, and is Principal Investigator for the Robert A. Welch Foundation research grant. She has served as president of the Texas Association of Advisors for the Health Professions, and is a member of the American Chemical Society including the Divisions of Chemical Education, Chemical Health and Safety, and Fluorine Chemistry. She is the co-author with Dr. James M. Beard of the Third Edition of Environmental Chemistry in Society, Third Edition, CRC Press, Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL 2022. Dr. Murphy enjoys making chemistry relevant to her students by including environmental and other examples from daily life in her courses.
