Education and Background

Doctor J. De Anda was born in San Francisco, California. He grew up in San Juan, Puerto Rico, obtaining his Bachelor in Science degree (Biology) in 1978 at the University of Puerto Rico. He then went to graduate school at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he obtained his Ph.D. in Biochemistry in 1985. Following a few years of post-doctoral research at Tufts Medical School in Boston and at the CINVESTAV (Center for Research and Advanced Studies) in Mexico City, Dr. De Anda left his science career in 1988 and became a minister for the International Churches of Christ in Latin America.

During his years of church-related work, Dr. De Anda travelled around the world and established a truly international network of friends. From 1992 to 2004, he helped to develop the administrative, legal and financial framework of his international church organization. He and his wife held numerous seminars in the US and in Latin America on the topics of marriage and parenting. Dr. De Anda was also the founder and chief editor for CSA Press Latinoamerica, a publishing house based in Bogota, Colombia.

From 2004-2009 Dr. De Anda was the president of the Science Innovation Fund, a private investment company focused on the development of innovative energy- and bio-related technologies that could have a positive impact on health and the environment.

In 2007 Dr. De Anda began to teach college-level Chemistry on a part-time basis, first at Cypress College (Cypress, CA) and then also at Saddleback College (Mission Viejo, CA.)

“My mother was a college professor, and during my years as a minister, teaching was perhaps my favorite activity. When I started working at Cypress College, I rediscovered my passion for teaching.” Dr. De Anda began to seek full-time teaching positions, and so in 2014 he joined the faculty at Long Beach City College, where he teaches various introductory and general Chemistry courses. “At my age, many people are contemplating retirement; I on the other hand feel that I have just been given a chance to reinvent myself, and I’m excited about that!”

“I totally enjoy the cultural diversity at LBCC. I am able to connect with students of different backgrounds, and I enjoy sharing with them my own unique experiences from my travels and my relationships around the world. Besides helping them succeed in class, I like to convey to them the importance of establishing firm values and goals that will guide their lives.”

Dr. De Anda and his wife Mimi live in Cypress, CA. They have five adult children, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren, all of whom live in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. “My greatest treasure  is my family! We love spending time together.”

“I enjoy reading and talking about different kinds of intellectually provocative ideas in science, technology, faith, business/finances, politics, and other topics. My mind is full of ideas: one of these days I hope to become a published writer.  I like big spectacle movies with lots of special effects and big audio that are worth the admission price! At home, my chemistry lab is the kitchen: I enjoy cooking, although my present repertoire is rather limited. Due to my wife’s health challenges, we don’t go out much, so we enjoy watching TV together, especially competition shows like Top Chef, Dancing With The Stars, and The Amazing Race.”