TEACHING
Chemistry is often referred to as the central science; students from many paths and disciplines walk into our lectures and labs every year. I believe that teaching introductory and advanced courses require two distinctly different skill sets. Given the large size of introductory classes, where the majority of students are non-chemistry majors, a degree of theatre and enthusiasm is required to maintain student interest and enhance outcomes. In advanced courses students are intrinsically engaged and more easily drawn in by connecting the course concepts to current trends in research rather than demonstrations.
Introductory Chemistry Lectures
During my PhD at the University of Saskatchewan, I performed in-class demonstrations of course concepts for first year chemistry students. Demonstrations such as these connect abstract concepts from course notes to phenomena students can observe first hand. These experiments underscore my belief in student engagement. Engaged students retain more course material, and have positive experiences which reflect on their future views of chemistry.
Small Group Upper-Year Courses
When teaching advanced courses in chemistry and nanoscience to upper-year undergraduates and graduate students I feel it is important to ground the subject matter in current research literature, industrial practices, and environmental policy. By engaging students in independent study projects or literature review they begin to acquire a personal sense of what a career in the chemical sciences could be.