Hello members of the Division of Chemical Education. Just a few brief announcements since our last newsletter.

Celebrating the Life of Ron Perkins

I would like to acknowledge the passing of Ron Perkins. Ron was the 1995 Chair of the Division of Chemical Education and the first high school teacher to hold the position. Ron was an incredible leader in and champion for chemical education, and his impact on our community will persist. My condolence to his family and friends.

Gratitude and Welcome

I would like to thank the members who rotated off of the Executive Committee at the end of 2024. Your service, support, and commitment to the Division is greatly appreciated.

• Kim (Linenberger) Cortes
• Sally Mitchell
• Stephanie Ryan
• Maria Oliver-Hoyo
• Alex Grushow

I would also like to extend a heartfelt welcome to the new members of the Executive Committee joining us in 2025.

• Gina Frey
• Suazette Mooring
• Zakiya Wilson-Kennedy
• Debbie Herrington
• Matt Mio
• Justin Carmel

Progress on our Strategic Plan

I am excited to shepherd our strategic plan into its second year and report back some of the progress we have been making. In an effort to foster a vibrant and inclusive community of educators and researchers to improve the teaching and learning of chemistry, we have been working towards three main goals. Goal 1 (Engagement and Inclusion) focuses on cultivating welcoming and responsive chemistry education communities. To this end, we are critically examining the governance structures of the Division in an effort to streamline our operations and be more responsive to the needs of our members. To those who will be in person at the ACS 2025 Spring Meeting in San Diego, I would also like to personally invite you to attend the DivCHED Social Reception on Sunday, March 23^rd from 5:30 – 7:00 pm in the Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina: Temecula 1-4. Goal 2 (Professional Development) focuses on engaging chemistry educators and education researchers at all levels in a wide range of high-quality, accessible learning experiences. Our current efforts have focused on a review of how financial resources of the Division are being used to support the membership. This has resulted in a proposed reallocation of funds and an upcoming set of new professional development events for our members. Finally, Goal 3 (Identifying and Communicating Value) focuses on building and communicating the unique benefits and role of the Division. With generous support from the Board of Publications, the Division has undertaken a major renovation of the Division website (to be launched soon). This includes the cataloging of a huge array of ChemEd resources. I would like to thank all of the co-champions that are leading this effort and the volunteers working on each of our nine strategic plan project teams. We could not do this work without you. If you are interested in getting involved, please consider signing up.

Responsive Leadership

In an effort to be accessible and responsive to the DivCHED community, I have begun hosting a monthly community “Office Hour” on the second Wednesday of each month. Please feel free to attend at your convenience and share any successes or challenges that you might be having. This is intended to be an open, unstructured time for the DivCHED community to meet with the Chair of the Division. All are welcome.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84193710049

Dates (all meetings from 2:00 – 3:00 pm Eastern)

• March 12^th
• April 9^th
• May 14^th
• June 11^th
• July 9^th
• August 13^th
• September 10^th
• October 8^th
• November 12^th
• December 10^th

Please note, if you are unable to attend one of the meetings noted above, you are always welcome to reach out via email.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Engaged Community Partners

Lastly, I would like to personally invite you to engage with and contribute to the future directions of the Division of Chemical Education. This can take many forms. If you are not sure where to start, please feel free to reach out to me (tbussey@ucsd.edu) or our incredible Executive Assistant, Heather Johnson (hljohnson@divched.org), and we are happy to point you in the right direction. I look forward to working with you.

Best,

Thom Bussey
2025 Chair, ACS Division of Chemical Education
tbussey@ucsd.edu