Brent Modereger earned his B.S. degree in Chemistry/Biochemistry from San Jose State University before coming to Purdue. Brent obtained his Ph.D. as a student in the Analytical Chemistry Division of the Department of Chemistry. He was a joint member of both Prof. Gozdem Kilaz's and Prof. Hilkka Kenttamaa's groups, specializing in mass spectrometry and chromatography to research efforts in aviation fuels.