Jane Wissinger received her B.A. from Susquehanna University, M.S. from Georgia Institute of Technology and Ph.D. in organic chemistry from Northwestern University. She was a research scientist at Rohm & Haas Co. for five years before beginning her academic career in 1992 at the University of Minnesota. In 1998, Wissinger was hired as the Organic Chemistry Laboratory Director and continued to instruct organic chemistry lecture courses, an advanced organic chemistry laboratory course, as well as an upper division Green Chemistry course. Wissinger maintained an active research program focused on the development of curriculum materials for the college and high school levels that exemplify modern green chemistry methodology, advances in sustainable polymers, and guided-inquiry pedagogy. 

Wissinger is a Senior Principle Investigator in the NSF Center for Sustainable Polymers and passionate about educating students and the public about the need and opportunities for designing better plastics. Though recently retired from teaching (Aug. 2023), she remains active in promoting green/sustainable chemistry locally and on a national and international level through workshops, publications, and as a conference symposia organizer. Her efforts were recognized with a U of MN Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor award (2014), an ACS-CEI Award for Incorporation of Sustainability in Chemistry Education (2018), and 2021 Brasted Award for Excellence in College Teaching. Wissinger was named an ACS Fellow in 2023. Wissinger serves on the ACS Committee on Environmental Improvement and the IUPAC Interdivisional Committee on Green Chemistry for Sustainable Development.