Chemistry & Biochemistry

Professor Michael R. Abraham of our department is the recipient of the 2010 American Chemical Society (ACS) Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry!

http://pubs.acs.org/isubscribe/journals/cen/87/i34/html/8734awards1.html

This MAJOR award from the world's premier chemistry organization recognizes "outstanding contributions to experimental research that have increased our understanding of chemical pedagogy and led to the improved teaching and learning of chemistry" (see attached announcement for last year's winner).  He will be honored at the Awards Ceremony to be held at the 239th ACS national meeting in San Francisco in March.  There will also be a symposium in his honor at that meeting.

Dr. Abraham is the resident education expert in our department.  He directs research and educational programs in the instructional aspects of chemistry, and directs the Ph.D. program in Chemical Education at OU.  He is a David Ross Boyd Professor of Chemistry, Adjunct Professor of Science Education, and the Director of our Freshman Chemistry program.  He received his BA in Chemistry at Grinnell College, an MA in Teaching from Emory University, and a Ph.D. in Science Education from Florida State University.  He has taught science at all academic levels from elementary school to college.  He is well known in the field of science education as a researcher of instructional strategies, student misconceptions, and the use of computers in teaching college chemistry.  He is experienced in curriculum development at the high school and university levels and is well versed in the techniques and materials of science program assessment.  His current research and curriculum developments efforts are focused on the role of laboratory in learning science, student misconceptions of chemistry concepts, and on the effects of computer-generated animation on student visualization of atomic and molecular behavior.