I became a chemist because of organic chemistry. I became a chemistry educator because I was frustrated seeing people dread a subject that changed my entire academic career.
I aim to be an educational leader because I’ve seen, and to some degree experienced, the roadblocks put in front of non-traditional chemists. The chemists who aren’t because of accessibility, racism, sexism, homophobia, ageism, and assumptions about parenting, legal status, citizenship, etc.
In my teaching, I aim to help students see themselves as scientists or, at the very least, people capable of succeeding and understanding science. As I teach introductory level chemistry courses, I want to create an environment where students feel supported, welcomed, and value.
Beyond the students enrolled in the course, the teaching assistants are also an integral component of a classroom. I aim to empower them to see teaching as a valuable skill and an opportunity to learn broadly applicable management skills.
I am exceptionally aware that the students who work as TAs are the future of chemistry and by having them engage in creating an inclusive and encouraging environment, I hope to make a small impact on the future of the field.
All of this is done in collaboration with the students and TAs, especially the students labeled as “underprepared” (deficit language) or “C-students”. As humans are drawn to games, I try to incorporate that element into my course.
For example, a room escape final exam for organic chemistry lab and lecture. I also try to encourage students to use each other and all resources available to them. For example, using two-stage exams and encouraging the use of Discord/GroupMe/WhatsApp.
Most importantly, I have started exploring ungrading in the chemistry lab and lecture environments in order to support my belief that growth is as important as intuition.
While every approach has its drawbacks, I believe in the potential for supporting the students who have been told their whole lives that science was not for them and giving those students an opportunity to find a place in science.