Writing as a Science Educator

As scientists, we write to record observations and procedures. We write to analyze and present our data. We write to evaluate the works of others. My training in scientific writing started in earnest as an undergraduate student where I dutifully wrote lab reports and literature reviews. I learned how to write objectively. I practiced evidence-based arguments. After years of practice, this writing style is second nature. I see hints of it in my e-mail communication style. I even hear its echo in my administrative documents. This style is efficient and clear

Nurturing Faculty Buy-In for Top-Down Mandates

Higher education is a bureaucracy. As such, colleges and universities require strong leaders but they also must have committed faculty members. Shared governance and transparency - arguably empty buzz words – have definitions that will vary based on who you ask. Despite the minefield, these terms are relevant when discussing change within academia

Investigating the Influence of the Level of Inquiry on Student Engagement

Previous studies investigating student-generated questions in a laboratory class compared inquiry to a traditional approach without characterizing the inquiry level. This study investigated the influence of inquiry level on the quantity and quality of student-generated questions over one semester in a General Chemistry course with 356 participants. The researchers studied two types of inquiry in labs: structured inquiry and open inquiry. Quantity and quality of student-generated questions were analyzed and student attitudes were measured using a LIKERT survey while content knowledge was assessed via post-test. A close relationship was not found between the level of inquiry and the quantity or quality of student-generated questions, student attitudes or content knowledge. However, the data highlighted the importance of the teacher in the quantity and quality of student questions

Online Undergraduate Research in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Courses

What constitutes research can vary across fields. Even within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, the definition of research is flexible. For example, although science research and engineering research use similar methods and both produce valuable insights into the nature of our physical world, they have notably different focuses, with sciences aimed at expanding the outer edges of our knowledge and engineering fixed on systematic structuring of knowledge for application (National Academy of Engineering, 1995). Regardless of the STEM discipline, undergraduate research is a mentored experience in which students engage in original work, disseminating their outcomes to a larger audience through presentations or publications

Effects of Activated Carbon Surface Chemistry Modification on the Adsorption of Mercury from Aqueous Solution

Mercury (Hg), a naturally occurring element, is toxic and can lead to negative health impacts for humans and ecosystems. Activated carbon adsorption is effective in treating Hg-laden aqueous effluent for safe discharge. Two modifications of commercially available activated carbon were investigated: iron impregnation to allow for magnetic sorbent recapture and wet chemical oxidation to enhance aqueous Hg capture. The modified carbons were characterized by nitrogen adsorption-desorption, XRD, pHpzc, vibrating sample magnetometry, elemental analysis, and total acidity titration. The 3:1 C:Fe magnetic powdered activated carbon (MPAC) retained a high surface area of 790 m2 /g and was 95% magnetically recoverable, with the iron present primarily as maghemite. The characteristics of the surface oxygen modified carbons varied based on the nature of the modifying reagent and its concentration. The modified carbons were applied to trace level Hg solutions (100 μg/L). The 3:1 MPAC achieved the highest adsorption capacity, reaching 91% Hg removal with 2% volatilized and 84% adsorbed. Adsorption occurs primarily as chemisorption, thus allowing for non-hazardous residuals disposal until reaching a loading of greater than 12 800 μg Hg/ g MPAC. Surface area and point of zero charge were identified as primary variables influencing adsorption in this system. Hg(II) adsorption was strongly correlated with oxygen content of the C(O)-modified activated carbons. Carbons with the highest oxygen content achieved the highest Hg(II) removal. Contrary to expectations, a strong correlation with oxygen content was not seen in Hg(0) adsorption. Rather, these data best fit a four variable model that identified surface area, pore volume, pHpzc, and oxygen content, with the pHpzc being the primary variable influencing results. Using the standardized EPA TCLP protocol, it was found that no carbons leached Hg at levels requiring disposal as a hazardous waste at the experimental loading rate. Kinetic models indicated both physisorption and chemisorption adsorption mechanisms. Hg speciation and binding mechanisms was predicted using sorbent and matrix characteristics. The use of sequential chemical extraction to verify these operational binding mechanisms was unsuccessful due to extraction inefficiencies and phase transformation

STEM Laboratory Safety on a Shoestring

Classroom laboratory activities promote learner development in scientific reasoning and interest in science. Learner safety is a critical concern. Many states have adopted OSHA standards (e.g. The Laboratory Standard 29 CFR 1910.1450 or Hazard Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200) or developed their own standards to protect public school teachers and staff, but these do not extend to students

In Support of Scholarly Teaching

Whether you are a college science teacher who has embraced education as a second discipline or you are teaching science teachers, the SoTL (scholarship of teaching and learning) and DBER (discipline-based educational research) publications are key resources to support your scholarly teaching, providing actionable ideas for your classroom

The Four Agreements in Academia

While I have read the book The Four Agreements five times, I had not perused this book since I accepted a professorship in 2012. When revisiting this book, it was apparent to me that the practical advice for personal freedom translated well to academia. Once I came upon this connection, I explored further and found that Bonni Stachowiak also drew this parallel in her blog, Teaching In Higher Ed. Here, I will share a few ways to implement the Four Agreements in your academic career

A Reflection on the Changing Reality of Science

From liquids on Mars to CRISPR, significant scientific discoveries are being made each year. These are just the flashy front-page innovations; there are thousands of scientific journals that continually publish discoveries and advancements in our knowledge. Were he alive today, I think Copernicus would be awed by how scientific knowledge has grown and changed over time. He may also agree that the nature of science has remained quite constant. The Nature of Science is a fundamental construct in science education, serving as a pillar in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for K–12 education. According to the NGSS, the key ideas regarding the nature of science are: Scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence Scientific knowledge is open to revision in light of new evidence Scientific models, laws, mechanisms, and theories explain natural phenomena Science is a way of knowing Scientific knowledge assumes an order and consistency in natural systems Science is a human endeavor Science addresses questions about the natural and material world (NGSS Lead States, 2013

Arriving at a Better Answer: A Decision Matrix for Science Lab Course Format

At first glance, scientific laboratory experiences might appear to be challenging to move to the cloud. Skeptics may point to sensory feedback limitations and inequivalence of student outcomes. However, emerging data increasingly provide evidence that scientific laboratory courses are not only amenable to online learning, but also can deliver student outcomes at or above traditional in-person courses. In identifying a science lab format, each institution weighs factors like lab course goals, budget, program growth, access, and safety. This article presents a single case study and a decision matrix for how one institution informed their choice for the modality of a chemistry lab course. There is no right answer for a lab modality, but the decision matrix allows for selection of the best-fit modality based on institutional parameters