Principal Investigator
​Raheleh Ravanfar
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Texas Tech University
​
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Department of Cell Physiology & Molecular Biophysics
Texas Tech University Health Science Center
School of Medicine
​
Office: 402A Experimental Science Building II
1006 Canton Ave, Lubbock, TX 79409 USA
Email: raheleh.ravanfar@ttu.edu
Phone: 806-834-6129
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Education and Professional Experience
Texas Tech University
Assistant Professor, 2023 to present
California Institute of Technology
Postdoctoral Research Associate, 2020 to 2023
Cornell University
Ph.D., 2019
Ball State University
M.S., 2016
Shiraz University
M.S., 2012
B.S., 2009
Additional Links
Google Scholar, ORCID, LinkedIn
Biography
Raheleh Ravanfar joined Texas Tech University as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in August 2023. She served as a postdoctoral scholar research associate in the Harry B. Gray Research Group at the California Institute of Technology from 2020 to 2023. She completed her Ph.D. degree in the Alireza Abbaspourrad Research Group at Cornell University in 2019. In 2016, she obtained her M.S degree in Robert Sammelson Research Group at Ball State University. She also earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Shiraz University in 2009 and 2012, respectively. Raheleh was born and raised in Shiraz, Iran, historically known as Pars or Persis. Shiraz is one of Iran’s top tourist destinations and is celebrated as the city of poets, literature, and flowers. Located northeast of modern Shiraz, Persepolis was founded by Darius the Great around 518 BCE as a ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. It served primarily ritual and symbolic functions, especially during Nowruz (Persian New Year) celebrations. As a reflection of her origins, Raheleh enjoys flowers and poetry, listening to music, and dancing, pursuits that echo the artistic and cultural spirit of her hometown.
Teaching Focus
CHEM-5304, Advanced Bioinorganic Chemistry
CHEM-3311, Biological Chemistry
CHEM-5330, Biochemistry
Awards and Honors
ACS Petroleum Research Fund (ACS PRF) grant Award, American Chemical Society, USA 2025
Honored Faculty Recognition, Phi Beta Kappa Society, Lambda of Texas Chapter, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA 2025
Medallion, President’s STEM Mentoring Academy, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA 2025
Certificate of Recognition and Plaque, Faculty Mentorship Academy, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA 2025
Cornell Technology Acceleration and Maturation (CTAM) Fund Award, Ithaca, NY, USA 2019
First place Presentation Award, IFT2019, New Orleans, LA, USA 2019
Travel Grant Award, Scientista Symposium, Boston, MA, USA 2019
Outstanding Contribution in Reviewing Award, The Editors of Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Elsevier, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2017
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) award, The International Dairy Foods Association, Washington, DC, USA 2017
Deep Graduate Excellence Award, Deep Foods, Inc., NJ , USA 2017
“Think Like a Molecule” Award, American Chemical Society (ACS), Indianapolis, IN, USA 2016
Turkiye Burslari Merit Scholarship, Ankara University, Turkey 2013
Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran 2012
Outstanding Undergraduate student Award, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran 2009
Leadership and Membership
Member of the Center for Membrane Protein Research, TTUHSC
Member of President's STEM Mentoring Academy, TTU
Member of the Faculty Mentorship Academy, TTU
Steering committee Member of College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research Academy (CASURA), TTU
Committee Member of Transformative Undergraduate Experience (TrUE), TTU
Member of STEM Core, TTU
Member of American Chemical Society
