Hometown: Charlottesville, Virginia.
Education: PhD 1989 (biochemistry), Purdue University. BS 1982 (chemistry), Fisk University.
Research Focus: The interaction of proteins in the body.
Recent Positions:
- Director of the Science Education Alliance at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, 2008 to 2011; senior program officer, 2006 to 2007.
- Associate vice president of academic affairs, Xavier University of Louisiana (2005), where Jordan was also associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, 2003 to 2005.
- Chemistry faculty at Xavier University, 1994 to 2005
- Visiting scientist, biophysics, University of Michigan, 1998.
- Postdoctoral fellow, University of Cincinnati, 1994.
- Postdoctoral training at the University of Cincinnati School of Medicine in cell biophysics and pharmacognosy (the study of medicines developed from natural sources), 1989 to 1993.
Awards:
- SEED magazine’s Innovative Mind of Science Education award, March 2009.
- Distinguished Alumna of Purdue University, 2008. Jordan was the first African American woman to earn a PhD in biochemistry at Purdue.
Family: Husband Eric Heatley and adult twins, Patrice Starck and Jordan Starck.
Recreational Interests: For quiet times: listening to music (especially jazz), observing nature, and taking in art. For all other times, anything that provides an adrenaline rush: driving a car on the open road, skydiving, or riding roller coasters.
