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BCCE 2024 Call for Papers

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Abstract submission is now open for oral and posters presentations for the 28th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE 2024) to be held at the University of Kentucky July 28-August 1, 2024. 

The conference will be organized around four themes – Classroom Practice and Learning Environments, Curriculum and Cognition, Assessment and Research Methods, and Professional Development – within the K-12, two-year college, and university communities. 

College/university faculty and staff, K-12 teachers, graduae students, postdocs, and anyone else working in chemical education are welcome to submit an abstract. The deadline for submissions is February 28.  Information about the conference is available at https://bcce.divched.org/ or by contacting the program co-chairs, Kim Woodrum or Irv Levy at bcce2024@uky.edu

Abstracts should be submitted at https://bcce24.exordo.com/. Instructions for presenters can be found at http://bcce.divched.org/presenters.

Message from the Chair, Dawn Del Carlo, Fall 2020

Greetings DivCHED Members!

I hope this newsletter finds you all in good health and peace of mind. 

I can honestly say that both personally and professionally, little of the past 6 months was easy.  In that time, we faced tough decisions about the BCCE, National ACS meetings, budgetary issues within the Division from lost National meeting programming revenue and the cancellation of the BCCE, and facing the necessary and difficult conversations about racism, implicit bias, diversity, and inclusion in our classrooms, institutions, and society. For me, intellectual growth, self-awareness, and mindfulness have all been critical in working through these (and other) issues and hopefully, making me a better professional, leader, educator, and human. I hope you all have found similar growth and resolve.

One thing that I have become particularly aware and appreciative of over these past months is the fact that, with a few specific exceptions, the entirety of DivCHED leadership and committee positions are filled on a volunteer basis.  This is not a minor undertaking in “normal” circumstances; the fact that this organization has continued making progress on our goals with the budget, programming, diversity and inclusion, and countless other initiatives during a global pandemic and national social unrest should not be discounted nor taken for granted.  If you are involved in any of these achievements, on behalf of the Division, I sincerely thank you for your service and leadership. 

Not surprisingly, and on a more positive note, our experiences in shifting lived experiences to a virtual space has also allowed us to get creative with how we approach business meetings and social events that normally would have taken place in person at the Fall National meeting. The schedule of DivCHED events, committee meetings, and registration can be found here. Although many of the meetings and the social are open, there is a short registration process required. Registration for meetings is due no later than Thursday, Aug 13th (sooner for the CER meeting) to allow sufficient time to send the appropriate information to registrants. The virtual meeting format is a great opportunity for members to attend and get involved who might not have been able to otherwise; I encourage you to check out the schedule! 

The Division Business meeting and Social will be held via Zoom on Sunday, Aug 16th, 4-5:30 pm PDT (note the shift in time to accommodate multiple timezones). Division announcements, awards, and recognitions will occur in the first 30 min or so after which, attendees are welcome to hang out in the main Zoom room and chat OR request to be assigned to one of several “Birds of a feather” breakout rooms.  Suggestions for birds of a feather topics will be solicited during registration process.  To provide me enough time to set up the rooms, please register and suggest your topic no later than Saturday, Aug 15th. You can still register and attend the social up though its completion and I am sure there will be several breakout room topics of interest. So grab your favorite food and beverage and join us for the first ever (that I know of) virtual DivCHED Social!

Additionally, in case you haven’t noticed the NEW website is now up and running! If you have not yet seen it, definitely check it out here. Thanks to Heather Johnson, Jon Holmes, and all the committees and individuals who contributed info and feedback.

Finally, while my preference would have been to meet you all in person in San Francisco (both because I really like that city AND because I miss seeing everyone), I am equally excited to see new faces at our meetings since the virtual space makes them that much more accessible to members.  Despite the current state of the world, I am still optimistic for the future and grateful to be weathering the storm with as many wonderful colleagues and humans as I am. Peace and grace to you all.

 

Related Committee

Regional Meetings Committee - Spring 2024

The Regional Meetings Committee (RMC) is charged by the Division to: 

  1. Provide oversight of the ACS Division of Chemical Education Region Awards, which includes the development and maintenance of Award Guidelines, participation in the selection and presentation of the Region Awards, 
  2. Ensure that a Chemical Education Program is part of each Regional Meeting, and 
  3. Promote the purpose and work of the ACS Division of Chemical Education. 

RMC is pleased to outline in this NEWSLETTER Report recent efforts to address its charge. 

ACS Division of Chemical Education Region Awards: 

2023 ACS Division of Chemical Education Region Awardees for Excellence in High School Teaching: 

Nine of the ten ACS Regions held meetings in 2023 providing opportunities to recognize and reward excellence in the teaching of high school chemistry. RMC is pleased to report on two region Award presented in 2023. 

The 51st ACS Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting, June 9-10, New York City, NY
The winner of the 2023 Division of Chemical Education, Middle Atlantic Region Award for Excellence in High School Chemistry Teaching is Dr. Roxanne Spencer from Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ.

Dr. Roxanne Spencer

Dr. Roxanne Spencer earned a B.S. with High Honors in Chemistry (ACS Certified) from Eckerd College (St. Petersburg, Florida), and an M.A. and Ph.D. in chemistry from Princeton University. She was inducted into Sigma Xi and is a member of the National Association of Science Teaching (NSTA) and the American Chemical Society (ACS). For the past 10 years, Roxanne has taught all levels of high school chemistry, from college prep to Advanced Placement, and is currently an Upper School Science Teacher and the Science Department Chair at Ranney School (Tinton Falls, NJ), as well as the AP Chemistry teacher for One Schoolhouse. She teaches chemistry from a problem-solving perspective based on a strong foundation in basic concepts and trends and recently customized the cK-12 open-source chemistry textbook to support the Ranney chemistry curriculum. The 51st ACS Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting June 9-10, New York City, NY The winner of the 2023 Division of Chemical Education Middle Atlantic Region Award for Excellence in High School Chemistry Teaching is Dr. Roxanne Spencer from Ranney School in Tinton Falls, NJ. 

A registered US Patent Agent, she managed intellectual property strategy for a variety of small companies in pharmaceuticals and alternative energy for 15 years prior to returning to the classroom. She draws on this experience to provide real-world context to lessons and in teaching an Entrepreneurship Maymester at Ranney. In addition, Roxanne mentors high school students in science research and presented a poster on “Authentic Chemistry Research in High School” at the 2017 Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting. As a charter member of the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT), she has been selected for three content writing teams (2016 Chemistry of Cars, 2022 Chemistry & Sustainability, and 2023 Skilled Technical Workforce). 

The 45th ACS Northeast Regional Meeting, June 14-17, 2023, Boston, MA
The winner of the 2023 Division of Chemical Education Northeast Region Award for Excellence in High School Chemistry Teaching is Dr. Parul Kumar from Lexington High School in Lexington, MA.

Parul Kumar

2023 ACS Division of Chemical Education Northeast Region Award for Excellence in High School Teaching winner, Parul Kumar: I have been an educator for the past twenty-one years. I have a Masters in Organic Chemistry from the University of Lucknow and a PhD in Medicinal Chemistry from Central Drug Research Institute. Working with youth is my primary passion. I have found that in the field of chemistry, even the most abstract theory can be made more concrete via real world examples and analogies. I strongly believe in the strengths of research and inquiry-based learning, especially in a field of science. I continually try to engage students with active learning techniques. I have been teaching students to learn, analyze, apply, and make use of several technology resources available to them. I believe in differentiated learning and teaching styles. I approach every class as a new opportunity and a new challenge, finding the right “process” to facilitate learning in my students. While my teaching interests and abilities lie primarily in the area of Chemistry, I am also involved with the scientific research program in my high school. I am co-coordinator of our school science fair where I coordinate with members of our school, the regional, and state science fair operating committees. Besides classroom teaching I am involved with the larger school community as an advisor for National Honor Society (NHS), and South Asian Students Association (SASA) at my school. I have a vision of educating all students irrespective of their ethnic, financial, or social background.

Immediate Past Chair, Kim Cortes - Spring 2024

Dr. Kim Cortes, 2023 DivCHED Chair

I write this letter as a new spring begins to emerge and flowers start to bloom. This is especially meaningful this spring as we as a Division embark on a new strategic plan, and as my daughter’s cancer treatments come to an end. I have asked many over my time in the Chair Succession, “Why are you a member?” The last 6 months have reinvigorated my “why.” The sense of family, support (both personally and professionally), intellectual engagement, and opportunities to serve in an area of value to me while not being able to be in-person are all means as to why I am a member of DivCHED. I hope you too can find what you are looking for here in the DivCHED.

 

I want to thank everyone who has sent thoughts, prayers, and picked up things off my plate when needed over the last few months. It has meant the world to me. Additionally, I am proud to see how the DivCHED has continued the work of being accessible to those of us who cannot be in-person for various reasons. On this note, please be sure to take a look at the ACS Spring meeting agenda for ways to attend the various committee meetings both virtually or in-person! I also want to commend the fantastic leadership of our current Chair Resa Kelly and Chair Elect Thomas Bussey in ensuring all voices are heard and included in the design and implementation of the new DivCHED Strategic Plan. The team that was selected from the amazing volunteers in our DivCHED community to champion this endeavor will most certainly take us into a new era of the DivCHED. 

Committee on Personnel and Nominations - Spring 2024

The Division of Chemical Education’s mission is driven by the dedication of valued volunteers who serve in elected leadership and appointed committee roles. We believe that every member's contribution is vital to our success, and we invite you to become an integral part of the DivCHED community. 

The Committee on Personnel & Nominations (CPN) plays a crucial role in nominating DivCHED members for leadership opportunities and committee service. Our goal is to foster an inclusive environment that welcomes members from all educational partners, including K-12, Two-year colleges, PUIs, R1 universities and affiliated institutions. We aim to match qualified individuals with service opportunities that align with their interests, skillsets, and that will benefit the Division as a whole. 

If you're eager to make a difference and contribute to the Division's growth, we encourage you to complete the Get-Involved nomination form. Through the nomination form, you have the opportunity to share why you're interested in getting involved and highlight your qualifications. The CPN regularly reviews submissions, so we encourage you to submit your nominations by the following deadlines: 

  • Elected leadership positions: January 31 
  • Board appointments: June 30 
  • Committee interest: September 30 

Some committees may have limited vacancies, so If you're not immediately contacted, keep trying, as new opportunities may arise. For more information or if you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to us at Nominations@divched.org 

We value your interest and look forward to your involvement in shaping the future of the Division of Chemical Education. Let's work together to make a meaningful impact and foster excellence in chemical education!

Dr. Irvin J. Levy, 2024 Outstanding Service to the Division Award

Dr. Irvin J. Levy

The Division of Chemical Education is pleased to announce that Dr. Irvin J. Levy has been awarded the 2024 Outstanding Service to the Division Award. Dr. Levy has contributed his talents both to the success of the Division and to the well-being of the people in it. He served as Program Chair for the Division for a record twelve national meetings, pioneered cross divisional programming at national ACS meetings, and served as Chair of the Division. Dr. Levy will be presented the Crystal Apple award at the Fall 2024 ACS National Meeting in Denver, CO. Thank you, Irv, for your dedication and generosity.

Safety Committee - Spring 2024

The DivCHED Safety Committee welcomes anyone at any experience level with an interest in safety education. Our vision is of education that embeds accurate chemical safety instruction at all educational levels, and our mission is to provide resources and strategies to chemical and science educators in order to prepare chemists and others to function safely while using chemicals. We typically meet in conjunction with the Fall and Spring meetings of the ACS. If you are interested in safety education and interested in getting involved, you are welcome to attend our committee meetings, or contact the Committee chair and he will try to connect you with appropriate people and projects. 

Members of the Safety Committee work on a range of projects at the intersection of safety and education. These include collaborative projects with other components of the ACS, always with a focus on bringing the education perspective to safety issues, and the safety perspective to educational issues. We are excited to begin new collaborative efforts within the ACS Office of Safety Programs and our safety partners throughout the Society. 

One of our current projects, in conjunction with the ACS Office of Safety Programs, the Committee on Chemical Safety and the Division of Chemical Health and Safety, is creating a professional development workshop for faculty. This workshop will focus on developing RAMP-based safety materials for use in undergraduate courses across the chemistry curriculum along with developing a departmental safety plan consistent with the ACS Guidelines for Chemistry Departments as developed by the Committee on Professional Training. We plan to have a focus group to review the workshop plans at the 2024 BCCE. If you would be interested in participating in that BCCE focus group, please contact Steve Wietstock (swietsto@nd.edu) to be placed on the invitation list. We plan to offer this workshop for the first time in the fall of 2024. 

The Safety Committee welcomes safety symposia programming at national and regional meetings about safety in education. We are sponsoring a symposium at the 2024 BCCE on chemical safety in classroom and laboratory. If you are interested in organizing a safety symposia for a national or regional ACS meeting, please contact Steve Wietstock (swietsto@nd.edu). If there is something you have particular need or interest in, please reach out to the Safety Committee to share your thoughts.

Program Committee - Spring 2024

Changes are coming to future ACS National meetings! To better meet ACS’s goal of providing value to the chemistry community, the national meeting will have a shorter technical program and lose a day, dropping to 3.5 days of programming starting in Spring 2025. The ACS will also be seeking to have fewer concurrent sessions and a larger portion of the program involving co-sponsored symposia and events. This will likely necessitate a larger number of presentations being delivered as posters. 

Since the Program Committee helps to create the division’s program at the National Meetings, we will be working to meet these changes while also working to providing a program that can help DivCHED make progress toward fulfilling the vision laid out in its new Strategic Plan. In order to help the committee develop a relevant and meaningful program, we are soliciting suggestions for symposia topics for the Spring 2025. We welcome suggestions for symposia to be sent to the program committee chair, Ryan Sweeder by March 10th, 2024. The program committee will then meet at the Spring 2024 meeting to discuss and identify a slate of symposia to be included in the Spring 2025 meeting. 

As we engage in this work, the Program Committee is excited to have several new members to its ranks: Catherine MacGowan (Georgia Southern University – Armstrong Campus), Michael Mury (Polk County School Board), and Faith Yarberry (University of Central Arkansas). The committee would also like to thank the outgoing chair, Patrick Daubenmire (Loyola University – Chicago) for his years of leadership and welcomes the new chair, Ryan Sweeder (Michigan State University).

Committee on Computers in Chemical Education - Spring 2024

If you develop, incorporate or are considering incorporating ways of using computers in chemistry classes, the Committee on Computers in Chemical Education encourages you to participate in some of the many interesting related symposia scheduled for the upcoming Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE 2024). You can participate by presenting or attending. The deadline for submissions has been extended to March 15, 2024. The symposia that asked to be included in this announcement are (in no particular order):

  • Data-driven Approaches for Using Interactive Online Courseware to Improve Learning and Increase Equity 
  • The Evolution of ALEKS Organic Chemistry 
  • On-line Homework in General Chemistry: friend or foe? 
  • Teaching and Learning in the AI Revolution 
  • Incorporating Machine Learning into the Chemistry Curriculum 
  • Artificial Intelligence in Chemistry Education 
  • Make AI Your Friend: Improving Student Learning and Outcomes by Integrating AI Into Classroom Teaching and Learning 
  • Catalyzing Innovations in Chemistry Education Research: Harnessing the Power of Machine Learning and Generative Artificial Intelligence 
  • Mobile Devices as Scientific Instruments in Laboratory Education 
  • Computers in Chemical Education (a general session). 

Also consider the workshop: Introduction to Machine Learning in Chemistry using Python.