Analytical Chemistry Chemistry Education
I am a Professor Emeritus in the UofA's world-class analytical chemistry program. My awards and recognitions include: the 2002 International Ion Chromatography Achievement Award; the 2007 Faculty of Science Innovation in Teaching Award; the 2008 Maxxam Award (now Ricardo Aroca Award) from the Canadian Society of Chemistry; the 2010 Rutherford Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching; 3M National Teaching Fellow in 2012; Killam Annual Professor in 2014-2015; CIC Chemistry Education Award in 2017; Excellence in Teaching Award from the Interdepartmental Science Students' Society (ISSS) in 2019; and the J. Calvin Giddings Award for Excellence in Education from the Division of Analytical Chemistry of the American Chemical Society in 2019.
My students have been equally successful, receiving: numerous NSERC and Alberta Innovates scholarships; American Chemical Society Analytical Division fellowships; and four Ryan/Harris Awards as the top analytical chemistry graduate student in Canada.
My past research was in the area of analytical separations with the objective to develop a fundamental physico-chemical understanding of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), ion chromatography (IC) and capillary electrophoresis (CE). My current interests focus on teaching analytical chemistry and on chemistry education.
My teaching ranged from introductory chemistry to graduate courses in analytical separations, but most commonly focused on quantitative chemical analysis (CHEM 211 and 213). My goal for these courses is that students achieve an understanding of analytical error, and the care that it takes to make an accurate and appropriate measurement. I co-authored the 10th edition of Daniel Harris's Quantitative Chemical Analysis.
I am also very interested in professional development of chemistry students, and developed CHEM 300 Introduction to Industrial Chemistry, which has industrial speakers, tours of local industry, resume and interview skills development, and networking with local industrial chemists. Please contact me if you would be interested in participating either as a student or an industrial mentor.
Instructors also learn by doing and sharing. Hence, I am actively involved in Chemical Education through IUPAC, the Canadian national conference, Pittcon, and other conferences.