Dr. Gonzales is an accomplished organic chemist and dedicated educator with a robust academic and professional background. She graduated summa cum laude from "Gh. Asachi" Polytechnical Institute at Iasi, Romania, earning a B.S. degree in Chemistry and Physics. Her early career began as an Assistant Professor at the "Al. I. Cuza" University of Iasi, where she achieved tenure in the Organic Chemistry Department. 

Her graduate research focused on synthesizing benzofurans and other oxygen heterocycles, exploring their biological activities, and studying their photochemistry, particularly fluorescence and phosphorescence. Dr. Gonzales furthered her expertise during a postdoctoral fellowship at the Neuchatel Institute of Chemistry in Switzerland, where she investigated the reactivity of 4-Vinyl-6-methyl-2-pyrones in Diels-Alder reactions and the conformation of 6-methyl-4-hydroxy-2-pyrone enol ethers. 

In 2000, she moved to the United States as a visiting professor at Florida State University, working on a project funded by Roche Vitamins Co. to study conformer-specific photochemistry in the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D field. By fall 2005, Dr. Gonzales joined the Chemistry Department at California State University, San Marcos (CSUSM), where she has been teaching organic chemistry and developing curriculum to enhance student success.

Dr. Gonzales's contributions to academia include co-authoring several peer-reviewed publications and guidebooks. Her teaching excellence has been recognized with multiple awards, including the CSM's Outstanding Lecturer Award in 2013 and the President's Award for Outstanding Lecturer in 2023 at CSUSM. She is known for her dedication to diverse student populations and her commitment to fostering both personal and professional growth in her students. 

Ph.D. in Chemistry, ''Al. I. Cuza'' University of Iasi, Romania.

Bachelor of Science in Physics and Chemistry, "Gh. Asachi" Polytechnical Institute of Iasi, Romania.

INVITED BOOK CHAPTER

Saltiel, J.; Cireș, L.; Turek, A. M. "Conformer Specific Photochemistry in the Vitamin D Field" in Handbook of Organic Photochemistry and Photobiology; 2nd Edition, Horspool, W. M. and Lenci, F., Ed.; CRC Press, Boca Raton, London, New York, Washington, D.C., 2003, pp. 27-1 - 27-22.

PEER-REVIEW PUBLICATIONS

Saltiel, J., Cireș, L.; Turek, A. M. "Conformer Specific Photochemistry in the Vitamin D Field", ChemInform, 2004, 35(18). DOI:10.1002/chin.200418265

Cireș, L., Botomei V.; Humelnicu, I.; Ofenberg, H.; Neier, R.; ''An efficient synthesis of 10-substituted benzo[b]phenantro[9, 10-d]furans'', Revue Roum. Chim., 2003, 48(1), pp. 33-37.

Saltiel,J.; Cireș, L.; Turek, A. M. "Conformer Specific Photoconversion of 25-Hydroxytachysterolto 25-Hydroxyprevitamin D3: Role in the Production of VitaminDs" " J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2003; 125(10), pp. 2866 - 2867. DOI:10.1021/ja029651g

Cireș,L.; Ofenberg, H.; Craita, C.''Efficient synthesis of chromeno-6,7-isoxazoles and chromeno-6,7-oxazoles'', Oper. Proc. Procc. Intern.., 2001, 33(4), pp. 361 - 368.

Cireș,L.; Acostioaie, L.; Nicolaescu, T. and Nemitan, E. ''Synthesis and reactivity of some coumarinderivatives'', An. St. Univ."Al. I.Cuza" Iasi, 2000, Tom. VIII, no. 1, s.c., pp. 117-122.

Cireș,L.; Botomei, V.; Craita, C.and Ofenberg, H. ''Synthetic reactions of 5-methyl-6-chloro-acetamidomethyl-2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furan'', An. St. Univ."Al. I. Cuza"Iasi, 2000, Tom. VIII, no. 1, s. c., pp. 123-128.

Cireș,L.; Craita, C. and Ofenberg, H. ''A convenient 2,3-diphenyl-benzofurans conversion into 1, 2-benzisoxazoles'', An. St. Univ. ''Al. I. Cuza'' Iasi, 2000, Tom.VIII, no. 1, s. c., pp. 129-135.

Cireș,L.; Ofenberg, H.; Craita, C. and Pollet, A. - "Substituent influence on the fluorescencespectra of  2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furanderivatives", J. Lum., 1998, 66, pp. 91 - 96.

Vlahovici,A.; Ofenberg, H.  and Cires, L. "Effect of substituent,solvent and temperature on the electronic spectra of some benzo[b]furanderivatives", Proceedings of theSimposium on Physics and. Techn. Phy.-Iasi, 1997, pp.  168-174.Couture,A.; Grandclaudon, P.;

Cireș, L. and Ofenberg, L. "A convenient synthesis of 7-substituted 2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furans ", Synthetic Comm., 1997, 27(20), pp. 3669 - 3676.

Ofenberg,H.; Cireș, L.; Vlahovici, A. and Lablache-Combier, A. "Synthesisand photoreactivity of 6-iodo-2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furans derivatives", Rev. Roum., 1997, 42(2), pp. 137 - 142,  .

Ofenberg, H.; Cires, L.; Craita, C.and, Novitchi, G. "Synthesis and reactivity of some6-amino-2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furans derivatives", An. St. Univ."Al. I. Cuza" Iasi, 1996, Tom IV,s.c., pp. 129 ¿ 136.

Cireș, L.; Stefan, M.; Ofenberg, H. and Zanoaga, C."Studies on the synthesis and physiological activity of somehalide-2-hydroxy benzophenones",  An. St. Univ."Al. I. Cuza"Iasi, 1995, Tom. III, s. c., pp. 151-158.

Vlahovici, A.; Ofenberg, H.; Cireș, L.; Pollet, A. and Lablache-Combier, A. "Solvent and temperature influence onthe fluorescence spectrum of6-amino-5-methyl-2,3-diphenylbenzo[b]furan",  J.Lumin., 1994, 62, pp. 227-236.

Welch, S., Gonzales, L.: “Notes and Outlines for Organic Chemistry Laboratory 201L”; CSUSM, 2012.

Welch, S., Gonzales, L.: “Notes and Outlines for Organic Chemistry Laboratory 202L”; CSUSM, 2012.

Gonzales, L.; Ng, K.: Laboratory Manual for Advanced General Chemistry (250L) Sections: Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry CSUSM, 2010.

Ng, K.; Gonzales, L.: Laboratory Manual for Quantitative  Investigations in Chemistry (275L) Sections: Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry CSUSM, 2008.

Nicolaescu, T.; Cireș, L. and Finaru, A.: "Hydrocarbon Chemistry", Ed. Eurologic, Bacau, ISBN 973-99682-0-1, 2000.

Nicolaescu, T.; Cireș, L. and Nicolaescu, R. "Problems and Applications In Organic Chemistry", Ed. Univ."Al.I.Cuza", Iasi, 1996.

Nicolaescu, T. and Cireș, L.: "Chemistry of Functionalized Organic Compounds", Ed. Univ."Al.I.Cuza", Iasi, 1995.

Nicolaescu, T. and Cireș, L.: "Hydrocarbon Chemistry", Ed. Univ."Al.I.Cuza", Iasi, 1994.

• Chemistry 201/201L: Organic Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory
• Chemistry 202/202L: Organic Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory
• Chemistry 275/275L: Quantitative Investigation in Chemistry Lecture and Laboratory
• Chemistry 160: General Chemistry II

Currently:

• Lecturer D & Lab Coordinator for Organic Chemistry, Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, CSUSM     

Previously:

• Visiting Professor, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida
• Postdoctoral Fellow, Neuchatel University, Switzerland, (A Swiss Confederation Postdoctoral Fellowship Awardee)
• Associate Professor, Organic Chemistry Department, AICUI, Iasi, Romania 
• Assistant Professor, Organic Chemistry Department, AICUI, Iasi, Romania
• Chemistry Teacher, “A. T Laurian” High School, Botosani, Romania
  

• Vice president of CFA chapter at CSUSM.
• Member of the CSTEM Lecturer Advisory Committee (LAC).
• Elected member of the Academic Policy Committee (APC).
• Elected member of the Lecturer Committee (LC).