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Nicole Becker, Councilor/Alternate Councilor Nominee

Dr. Nicole Becker, Councilor/Alternate Councilor Nominee

Associate Professor  
University of Iowa
R1 Research Institution

I am an associate professor at the University of Iowa. I received my BS in chemistry from South Dakota State University, and my PhD at Purdue University under Prof Marcy Towns. My postdoctoral research experience was with Melanie Cooper at Michigan State University. My research at the University of Iowa focuses on how undergraduate chemistry students engage in scientific practices, such as using models to predict and explain chemical behavior. 

In my past service to the division, I have served as a member of the International Activities Committee (2014 – present). There, I have worked with the committee to broaden ACS participation internationally and share resources with international members that supporting teaching and learning related to chemical education. Key activities have been related to providing travel support for US ACS members to travel abroad, and for international ACS members to attend ACS meetings to share their experiences with the community. 

Locally, I have served as a treasurer of our local ACS section. In this capacity, I have been able to advocate for activities that broaden participation of undergraduate and graduate students in ACS activities. This includes, for instance, supporting scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students to attend ACS conferences, and supporting local Younger Chemists Committee (YCC) chapter activities. I have also been able to help coordinate local chapter support of regional meetings, such as the Midwest Regional Meeting held at the University of Iowa in Fall 2022. 

If elected as Councilor, I would look forward to serving as a bridge between local community needs and national level policy and practices via the Division of Chemical Education Executive Committee.

Roxie Allen, Councilor/Alternate Councilor Nominee

Roxie Allen, Councilor/Alternate Councilor Nominee

Chemistry Teacher, Upper School 
St. John’s School 
Houston, Texas 
K‐12 Independent School

Roxie graduated with a BS in Biochemistry from Texas A & M University and she earned her MS in Chemistry from the University of Houston. Roxie was recognized as an ACS Fellow in 2017 for sustained service as a leader in chemical education and she has served as a Councilor for DivCHED from 2018‐2023. Additionally, Roxie served on SOCED as an associate for three years from 2019‐2022. She was appointed as a member to SOCED in 2023. 

Roxie is involved in her local ACS where she currently serves as Education Committee Chair. She served as coordinator for National Chemistry Week and co‐coordinator for Project SEED and she serves as a liaison between the local section and high school teachers in the community. She hosts section meetings to provide the opportunity for students, teachers and scientists to network. 

Roxie served as a mentor for the United States Chemistry Olympiad program from 2003‐2006. Following her tenure as a mentor, Roxie served as High School Program Chair for the SWRM in 2006. She served on the HACH Foundation National Board and the Guidelines for High School Chemistry Committee. She also served as the National Meeting High School Program Chair in 2014 and she was appointed to a teacher internship through the Project SEED. 

After receiving the Conant Award, Roxie served on the board overseeing the formation of AACT and became involved in DivCHED through an appointment to CPN, where she served from 2014 to 2022. In 2015, Roxie was appointed as the DivCHED representative to the AACT Governing Board. Roxie has also been a regular attendee, presenter and symposium organizer at BCCE and she is served as Pre‐College Co‐Chair for BCCE 2018. She is serving as co‐chair of DivCHED Pre‐ college Committee during this, her final term. More recently, Roxie has been appointed to the newly formed DivCHED Public Relations committee.

Rick Moog, Treasurer Nominee

Rick Moog, Treasurer Nominee

Professor of Chemistry Emeritus 
Franklin & Marshall College 
Private, 4‐year liberal arts college 
Executive Director 
The POGIL Project

I have served as Treasurer for the Division for the past three years. Prior to that service, I served two separate terms as an Alternate Councilor on ExComm, from 2016 – 2018 and from 2019 – 2020. I also served previously for multiple terms as a member of the Division’s Committee on Personnel and Nominations. During my first term as an Alternate Councilor, I was a member of the Task Force that made recommendations to the Finance Committee concerning the process for hiring a Business Manager/Controller for the Division, and then served as the Chair of the Search Committee for that position, a role that I reprised in 2021 when we hired our current partner, Mike Dolence of Blue Moon Consulting. 

As Treasurer, I have worked with Mike to align the financial management of the Division with best practices for non‐profit institutions. We have restructured the operating budget to make it easier to understand and to separate out the restricted funds that we manage (for the Passer Fund and the Regional High School Awards) from our unrestricted assets. We have also regularized the process for drawing on our existing assets to produce a balanced budget each year. Working with the Finance Committee, we have established an Investment Subcommittee that meets quarterly to monitor our unrestricted investments and discuss investment strategy with our professional financial advisor. I have enjoyed working with the Executive Committee, the Finance Committee, and other members of the Division on these issues, and would be honored to do so for another three years.

Nathaniel (Nathan) Grove, Treasurer Nominee

Dr. Nathaniel Grove, Treasurer Nominee

Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Center for the Support of Undergraduate Research and Fellowships 
University of North Carolina Wilmington 
R1 Doctoral University: High Research Activity

It is an honor to be considered for the position of Treasurer for the Division of Chemical Education. I have been a member of the Division and ACS for over 20 years. Within the Division, I served two terms on the Chemical Education Research Committee and a term on the Committee on Personnel & Nominations. I have also been a member of several exam committees for the ACS Exams Institute and chaired the committee responsible for writing the 2022 General Chemistry Second‐Term Exam. I am a frequent reviewer for the Journal of Chemical Education and Chemistry Education Research and Practice. At UNCW, I have taught general chemistry, organic chemistry, senior seminar, undergraduate and graduate‐level chemistry education courses, first‐year seminar courses, and a variety of courses for our Honors College. For two decades, I have been actively engaged in designing and implementing chemistry education research studies. My current interests seek to better understand how cognitive load impacts students’ learning of chemistry and uses heart rate as a means of tracking changes in load. I have published 29 peer‐reviewed manuscripts and received over $1,000,000 in external research funding.

Ryan Sweeder, Board of Publication Nominee

Ryan Sweeder, Board of Publication Nominee

Professor of Chemistry and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs 
Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University 
R1 Research University

Ryan Sweeder is a Professor of Chemistry and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Affairs for Lyman Briggs College at Michigan State University. Lyman Briggs College is an undergraduate, degree granting, science residential college that is part of a research‐intensive doctoral‐granting university. He earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Michigan and B.A from Albion College in Chemistry and Mathematics. He has served on the DivCHED Program Committee since 2018 and was a Co‐Chair for DivCHED Program for the Spring 2022 and 2023 ACS National Meetings. In this role, he supported the symposium organizers in creating created schedules and negotiating new challenges associated with hybrid meetings.

Sweeder’s research focuses on both Chemistry Education Research (CER) and equity‐oriented Student Success Research. Through his CER work, he has published research articles, classroom activities, and commentaries in the Journal of Chemical Education and other leading journals. He has also been a long‐time reader of and reviewer for JCE, so he understands the important roles it plays for the broad chemistry education community.  

Sweeder has also engaged in equity‐oriented research for over a decade. He is the MSU Director for the Sloan Equity and Inclusion in STEM Introductory Courses (SEISMIC) Collaboration, a sustained multi‐institutional, multi‐disciplinary STEM education research and development collaboration that focuses on increasing equity in student outcomes. He will bring that equity‐mindedness to his decision making if appointed to a position on the Board of Publications. This would manifest in trying to think through the impacts of decisions and constantly considering how any decision might differentially affect the diverse set of scholars in our community.

The combination of administrative experiences, history of service, involvement in the CER community, collaborative experiences, and commitment to equity make Ryan Sweeder well qualified for a position on the Board of Publications.

Thomas J. Bussey, Chair-Elect Nominee

Dr. Thomas J. Bussey, Chair-Elect Nominee

Associate Teaching Professor 
Vice Chair of Undergraduate Education 
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry 
University of California, San Diego 
Four‐year College

Dr. Bussey earned his Bachelors of Science with Honors in Biochemistry and Music from the University of Wisconsin‐Madison in 2004, and was selected as a charter member of the Las Vegas Valley Corps of Teach for America. From 2004‐2009, he taught high school science (primarily Biology and Chemistry) at Desert Pines High School in Las Vegas, Nevada and received the Distinguished Educator Award in 2009 from the Educational Services Division of the Clark County School District. During this time, he completed a Masters in Education in Secondary Science with an Emphasis in Technology in 2006. He then went on to complete his Ph.D. in Chemistry with a research focus in Chemical Education in 2013 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He joined the faculty at UC San Diego in 2014 and received the Distinguished Teaching Award from the University in 2020. 

Dr. Bussey’s research explores students’ understandings of non‐experiential, abstract, and/or emergent scientific phenomena and practices. Current projects focus on theoretical development and qualitative methodologies, mediation of student conceptions by external representations and technologies, and pedagogical decision‐making processes. 

Dr. Bussey is an active member of the American Chemical Society’s Division of Chemical Education. His division service includes past membership on the Early Career Chemistry Education Scholars Committee. He also served as Chair and is a member of the Chemistry Education Research Committee. Dr. Bussey currently serves as a member of the Board of Publications. Other notable service to the community includes leadership roles as the 2022 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education Program Co‐Chair and the Higher Education Co‐ Chair of the Exam Development Committee for the Advanced Placement Chemistry program as well as membership on the ACS Society Committee on Education subcommittee for Supporting Excellence in Education.

Request Financial Support Form

Entity Information
Request Type

Select request type to view eligibility, responsibility and procedure details.

Requests for financial support for special projects within the Division of Chemical Education (DivCHED) outside of the scope of normal committee budgetary requests will be considered only if they are addressed to the Chair of DivCHED in writing, come from or are submitted on behalf of members of the DivCHED, and clearly indicate how requested funds will be used, how the proposed activity advances the DivCHED vision and mission and supports our members.
Requests for financial support and sponsorship from entities outside the Division of Chemical Education (DivCHED) will be considered only if they are addressed to the Chair of DivCHED in writing, come from or are submitted on behalf of a not-for-profit entity (no individuals), and clearly indicate how requested funds will be used, how the proposed activity aligns with the DivCHED mission, and how the sponsorship will be advertised. Verbal requests will not be considered.
Eligibility and Responsibility

Verbal requests will not be considered.

Requests for financial sponsorship will be accepted and evaluated on a quarterly basis:

  • January 1 - March 31
  • April 1 - June 30
  • July 1 - September 30
  • October 1 – December 31

Decisions on requests submitted within any of these periods will be communicated no later than 10 business days after the quarterly window closes.

Funding requests should have a maximum budget of $25,000. It is encouraged to discuss the proposal with a member of the DivCHED Chair Succession prior to submission. 

For entities obtaining financial support, a brief report regarding the supported project must be sent to the Division Chair within one month after the event describing how the project funds were spent along with outcomes of note. Funds should be spent within 18 months of the decision to fund a request. If the project is canceled or its beginning is postponed beyond the 18 months period, the Chair of DivCHED should be informed immediately and funds should be returned to the DivCHED within 2 months of the cancellation/postponement.

Eligibility and Responsibility

Verbal requests will not be considered.

Requests for financial sponsorship will be accepted and evaluated on a quarterly basis:

  • January 1 - March 31
  • April 1 - June 30
  • July 1 - September 30
  • October 1 – December 31

Decisions on requests submitted within any of these periods will be communicated no later than 10 business days after the quarterly window closes.

For entities obtaining financial sponsorship, a brief report regarding the supported event must be sent to the Division Chair within one month after the event describing how the sponsorship funds were spent along with outcomes of note. Funds should be spent within 18 months of the decision to fund a sponsorship request. If the event is cancelled or postponed beyond the 18 months period, the Chair of DivCHED should be informed immediately and funds should be returned to the DivCHED within 2 months of the cancellation/postponement. A new request would have to be submitted for the rescheduled event. 

NOTE: Requests for non-monetary sponsorship should be directed to the Chair of DivCHED in writing. Decisions in this area will be made by the DivCHED Chair succession based on the extent to which the request aligns with the division’s mission.

Procedure

Requests for contributions will be evaluated and decided by the DivCHED Chair Succession in consultation with the Treasurer using the criteria below:

  • Impact on Chemistry Education: The Chair Succession will consider the nature and extent of the impact of the sponsored activity on chemistry education by analyzing: 
    • The extent to which the special project is aligned with the mission of the DivCHED and will help advance chemistry education research and/or practice at the national or international levels. 
    • The number of DivCHED members from diverse groups (particularly those underrepresented in chemistry education) who might benefit from the funds provided or by their participation in the sponsored activity. 
    • Evidence of significant impact from past support to the same or similar activities. 
  • Impact on Finances: Based on the available funds for special projects in the yearly budget approved by ExComm, the Treasurer will evaluate if the contribution amount is feasible as requested or only feasible if reduced. The Treasurer will also report on similar projects funded over the past four years including the amount funded. Only one request per fiscal year from the same group/person will be considered.
Procedure

Requests for contributions will be evaluated and decided by the DivCHED Chair Succession in consultation with the Treasurer using the criteria below:

  • Impact on Chemistry Education: The Chair Succession will consider the nature and extent of the impact of the sponsored activity on chemistry education by analyzing: 
    • The extent to which the sponsored activity is aligned with the mission of the DivCHED and will help advance chemistry education research and/or practice at the national or international levels. 
    • The number of DivCHED members from diverse groups (particularly those underrepresented in chemistry education) who might benefit from the funds provided or by their participation in the sponsored activity. 
    • Evidence of significant impact from past support to the same or similar activities. 
  • Impact on Finances: Based on the yearly budget approved by ExComm, the Treasurer will evaluate if the contribution amount is feasible as requested or only feasible if reduced. The Treasurer will also report on similar sponsorships made over the past four years including the amount funded. Periodic requests by the same entity will be considered based on demonstrated positive impact on chemistry education. Only one request per fiscal year from the same entity will be considered. Priority will be given to requests from entities that do not already receive organizational or structural support from the ACS.
Special Project Conflicts of Interest

If an ExComm member has an interest in a proposed special project with the organization in the form of a significant personal financial interest in the transaction or in any organization involved in the special project or holds (or has held) a position as trustee, director, chair, or officer in any such organization, he or she must make full disclosure of such interest before any discussion or negotiation of the transaction and abstain from decision-taking actions. With disclosure to other participants, the work of the ExComm is furthered by the willingness of conflicted persons to share information bearing upon the matter under consideration. If a conflict, or the potential appearance of a conflict, exists, the ExComm member must recuse themselves by not influencing, attempting to influence, or participating in that discussion and/or vote.

Special Project Conflicts of Interest

If an ExComm member has an interest in a proposed sponsorship with the organization in the form of a significant personal financial interest in the transaction or in any organization involved in the sponsorship or holds (or has held) a position as trustee, director, chair, or officer in any such organization, he or she must make full disclosure of such interest before any discussion or negotiation of the transaction and abstain from decision-taking actions. With disclosure to other participants, the work of the ExComm is furthered by the willingness of conflicted persons to share information bearing upon the matter under consideration. If a conflict, or the potential appearance of a conflict, exists, the ExComm member must recuse themselves by not influencing, attempting to influence, or participating in that discussion and/or vote.

Clearly indicate how requested funds will be used, how the proposed activity aligns with the DivCHED mission, and how the sponsorship will be advertised.
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Get Involved in DivCHED!

Are you looking to get more involved in the Division? Want to nominate a colleague or yourself for a committee appointment? Let us know by completing the “Get-Involved” nomination form. 

We seek to be inclusive of all members including chemical education practitioners and researchers across all levels of institutions as we try to match qualified individuals to service opportunities that they are interested in, have the appropriate skills to do and will benefit the Division. 

The form allows individuals to share additional information about why you want to become involved in the Division and your qualifications. The Committee on Personnel and Nominations will begin reviewing committee interest by September 30. There may be limited vacancies on some committees, so if you’re not invited to serve during this round, keep trying! For more information or questions, contact Nominations@divched.org.

2023 ACS Fellows

Congratulations to the following DivCHED members who have been named ACS Fellows: 

Kristen L. Murphy 
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 

Jane E. Wissinger 
University of Minnesota 

Samuella B. Sigmann 
Appalachian State University (Retired)