Dr. Pence’s training is in the area of inorganic chemistry, and her laboratory research with undergraduate students focuses on the synthesis and characterization of ruthenium carboxylate complexes and copper phenanthroline complexes. Having acquired additional expertise in environmental chemistry, she teaches in that field and is extensively involved with promoting sustainability across campus in her role as Co-Sustainability Coordinator for the University. She also has led sustainability programming at the national level through her work with the American Chemical Society, its Committee on Environmental Improvement, and the Division of Chemical Education. The effective use of technology in the classroom is an additional area of interest, particular the newer social networking technologies such as wikis and RSS.