While the majority of staffers at Lafayette knew they wanted teach very early on, Shannon Campbell, science teacher, had a different experience finding her current job.

Before she began her teaching career, Campbell was a researcher at both Colgate and Steris. She worked at Colgate for 13 years and Steris for 9 months.

Campbell earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Science and a Master’s Degree in Organic Chemistry and Entomology.  She took mostly Chemistry classes and began research as a freshman for extra money.

“Really the qualification for [working at] Colgate was just the research,” Campbell said.

After 13 years of working at Colgate, Campbell moved and took a job in St. Louis as a researcher at Steris.

“Working at Steris was challenging. I didn’t work with the high-level university educated people that I worked with at Colgate,” Campbell said.

In those 14 years, Campbell managed to create and patent 12 products personally, ranging from. The two from Steris have just been issued in 2010 and 2011.

After working at Steris, Campbell realized the problem of why she wasn’t challenged.

Campbell said, “People didn’t know how to ask questions, and it came through their training. And to me, that’s starts with a good foundation in high school, which is why I decided to teach.”

When asked if she would ever go back, Campbell said, “Unless financially I needed to, I would, but if I don’t, I won’t. I really enjoy teaching.”

Campbell has been teaching for six years now, all at LHS.

The full list of Campbell’s patents:

Steris Patents:

• US Patent 7,879,787 Heintz; Stavroula Maria, Campbell; Shannon K., Manivannan; Gurusamy “Cleaning compositions for hard to remove organic material” (2011)
• US Patent 7,781,388 Heintz; Stavroula Maria, Campbell; Shannon K., Manivannan; Gurusamy “Cleaning compositions for hard to remove organic material” (2010)

Colgate Palmolive Patents:

• US Patent  6,350,460  Campbell, S.K.,  Dubois, P., Andrews, P.  “Cosmetic Stick Composition.” 2002
• US Patent 5,932,192  Campbell, S.K.,  Fisher, S.W., Tavss, E.A., and Joziak, M.T. “Lower Astringent Two Component Stannous and Potassium Salt Containing Dentifrice.” (1999)
• US Patent 5,843409  Campbell, S.K, Tavss, E.A., Fisher, S.W., Joziak, M.T., Theiler, R., and Prencipe, M. “Two Component Dentifrice for the Treatment of Dentinal Hypersensitivity” (1998)
• US Patent 5,693,314  Campbell, S.K, Tavss, E.A., Fisher, S.W., Joziak, M.T., Theiler, R., and Prencipe, M. “Two Component Dentifrice for the Treatment of Dentinal Hypersensitivity” (1997)
• US Patent 5,674,474  Fisher, S.W., Campbell, S.K., Tavss, E.A., and Joziak, M.T. “Stannous Fluoride Gel Of Improved Stand-Up And Stability.” (1997)
• US Patent 5,690,912  & PCT Int. Appl. WO 95 28,911 Campbell, S.K., Tavss, E.A., Fusiak, G.E., Joziak, M.T., and Fisher, S.W. “Stannous Fluoride Gel with Improved Stand-up and Efficacy in The Treatment of Dentine Hypersensitivity.” (1997)
• US Patent 5,658,554    Fisher, S.W., Tavss, E.A., Campbell, SK, Joziak, MT, DePierro, K, and Curtis, J.  “Mouth Moistener for the Relief of Dry Mouth Condition.” (1997)
• US Patent 5,256,401 Duckenfield, J, VanMeter, L., Campbell, S, and Nabi, N.  “Antibacterial Antiplaque Mouthwash Composition” (1993)