Larken Cumberland

Biography

Larken E. Cumberland, Ph.D., is a Visiting Associate Professor of Chemistry at Pepperdine University, where she teaches chemistry and develops innovative science courses for non-science majors. Her teaching emphasizes hands-on learning, interdisciplinary connections, and helping students understand how chemistry can be applied to challenges in medicine, materials science, and technology.

Dr. Cumberland earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where her research focused on the synthesis and cooperative assembly of inorganic materials using block copolypeptides.  During her time at UC-SB she was an IBM fellow at TJ Watson in Yorktown Heights, New York where she applied these principles for the fabrication of semiconductor devices.  She subsequently conducted postdoctoral research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Medical School, where her work focused on materials science, nanomedicine, drug delivery, and biomedical imaging.

Her postdoctoral research in nanomedicine led to the founding of Liquidia Technologies, a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative pharmaceutical products and drug-delivery technologies. Dr. Cumberland was an inventor of the company's founding technology and played a key role in transitioning the technology from the university research environment into a commercial startup. Liquidia Technologies is now publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol LQDA.

Before joining Pepperdine, Dr. Cumberland spent more than 15 years as a member of the technical staff at HRL Laboratories in Malibu, where she worked at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, nanotechnology, and semiconductor fabrication. Her work included lithography, materials synthesis and characterization, device fabrication, process development, and technology assessment. She contributed to research programs involving alternative energy, infrared nanomaterials, advanced device technologies, and semiconductor manufacturing, and is an inventor on multiple U.S. patents.

Dr. Cumberland has published research in journals including Nature, PRX Quantum, Nano Letters, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Chemical Communications, and Journal of Crystal Growth. Her research has spanned nanomaterials, biomimetic materials, nanomedicine, drug-delivery systems, biomedical imaging, and semiconductor technologies.

Dr. Cumberland is also passionate about STEM education and mentorship. She has mentored students at the undergraduate, graduate, and K–12 levels and has developed educational programs designed to introduce young learners to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Her commitment to education extends beyond the university through her work as a former elementary school teacher and STEM program coordinator, where she developed a TK–5 STEM program and established the first elementary school science fair in Malibu.

Outside of science and teaching, Dr. Cumberland stays busy raising her three elementary-school-aged sons and being actively involved in the Malibu community. She currently serves as President of Keep Christ in Christmas, where she works with community members to promote family, faith, and the celebration of Christmas in the local community. Her involvement in her children's education and in the broader Malibu community reflects her belief in the importance of nurturing curiosity, character, service, and a lifelong love of learning.

Education

• B.S. North Carolina State University,
• Ph.D University of California at Santa Barbara