2011

*LaKeisha’s dissertation research was published in IJSE and she presented her research at the ACS meeting in Anaheim and the CERP Gordon Research Conference.

*Kim’s cognate project was published in JCE. She presented her research at the ACS meeting in Anaheim, the American Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (ASBMB) meeting, and the CERP Gordon Research Conference.

*Ana presented her research at the ACS meeting in Anaheim and the CERP Gordon Research Conference.

*Cindy presented her research at the ACS meeting in Anaheim and the CERP Gordon Research Conference. Her undergraduate research was published in CERP.

*Jana presented her research at the ACS meeting in Anaheim and her cognate research was published on the cover of the August Journal of Chemical Education..

*Mike presented his research at the ACS meeting in Anaheim. His cognate research was published in JCE.

*Allie finished her cumes, successfully defended her original research proposal, and her research in collaboration with Jennifer Lewis’ group was published in CERP. She presented her research at the ACS meeting in Anaheim and the CERP Gordon Research Conference. She has been awarded a prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. The award provides a $30,000 stipend and tuition for the next three years! Allie is the first and only graduate student in the country to ever earn this award for Chemistry Education Research!!

*Jessica gave an oral presentation at Miami’s Undergraduate Research Forum and at the ACS meeting in Anaheim. Jessica is now a graduate student at the University of Virginia.

*Stacey gave a keynote address at the 2YC3 Conference at Stark Community College. She gave invited seminars at UC San Diego, Rochester Institute of Technology, and UNC Wilmington. The Bretz Research Group was selected as a “C&EN Pick” for the Anaheim ACS meeting where we gave 12 presentations.

*40 students attended the 2nd CER Graduate Student Conference, funded by the National Science Foundation, held at Miami University from June 10-12, 2011.

2010

*Two alumni of the Bretz group are now faculty. Dr. Nathaniel Grove is an Assistant Professor in the chemistry department of UNC Wilmington. Dr. Kelly Hutchinson is an Assistant Professor in the chemistry department of Nazareth College. Congratulations to Kelly and to Nathan!

*Dr. LaKeisha McClary joined our group as a post-doc. LaKeisha is working on an acidity concept inventory and evaluating the department’s SSTEM NSF grant.

*Mary completed her 6-month conference, presented her research at the ACS meeting in San Francisco where she also organized a symposium, defended her PhD, and moved to a post-doc position with Tom Holme at Iowa State. Congratulations Dr. Mary Emenike!

*Kim was featured in an article for ACS Graduate Bulletin and was chosen by the faculty to win the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry Outstanding TA Award. She presented her research at the ACS meeting in San Francisco (where she co-organized a symposium) and at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE).

*Ana finished her cumes and passed her ORP (original research proposal). She presented her cognate research at the ACS meeting in San Francisco and some preliminary findings from her dissertation at the BCCE.

*Cindy completed her cumes, presented her cognate research at the ACS meeting in San Francisco. successfully defended her ORP. Cindy also presented some initial results from her dissertation research at the BCCE.

*Jana finished her cumes and passed her ORP. She presented her cognate research at the ACS meeting in San Francisco and early dissertation findings at the BCCE.

*Mike finished his cumes and successfully defended his ORP. Mike also presented his cognate research at both the 2010 PittCon meeting in Orlando, FL and at the ACS meeting in San Francisco. He also presented preliminary results from his dissertation research at the BCCE.

*Allie successfully completed her first year conference and gave a presentation at the BCCE.

*Jessica gave an oral presentation at Miami’s Undergraduate Research Forum and at the ACS meeting in San Francisco.

*Stacey presented keynote addresses at both Western Michigan University’s 3rd Annual Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference and the Transforming Research in Undergraduate STEM Education (TRUSE) Conference to Promote the Integration of Research on Undergraduate Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry Education. She gave invited seminars to the Robert Noyce Scholars Program at Nazareth College and at the University of Michigan-Dearborn and Virginia Commonwealth University. She was appointed to the National Academy of Sciences Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline Based Education Research.

2009

*Dr. David Sanabria-Rios presented a poster at the Gordon Research Conference on Chemistry Education Research and Practice. He accepted a position at University of Puerto Rico at Cayey. Congratulations, David!

*Mary presented a poster at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City and at the Gordon Research Conference on Chemistry Education Research and Practice.

*Kim passed her comprehensive exam, successfully defended her Original Research Proposal, presented a poster at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City and at two Gordon Research Conferences: Chemistry Education Research & Practice and Visualization in Science Education.

*Ana completed her first year conference and presented a poster at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City.

*Ashley completed her first year conference and presented a poster at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City.

*Cindy completed her first year conference, presented a poster at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City, and won an award at the Graduate Research Forum for her cognate project.

*Jana completed her first year conference and presented a poster at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City.

*Mike completed his first year conference and presented a poster at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City.

*Jessica was honored with Miami University Undergraduate Summer Scholar award and presented a poster at both Miami’s Undergraduate Research Forum and the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City.

*Lindsey was appointed Miami University Student Trustee by Governor Strickland and presented a poster at both Miami’s Undergraduate Research Forum and the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City.

*Welcome to our newest group member, Allie Brandriet!

*Stacey was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She was elected Chair of the Board of Trustees of the ACS Examinations Institute. She was honored with the E. Phillips Knox Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching. Along with Thomas Holme (Director, ACS Exams Institute), Stacey presented an invited workshop at the Assessment Institute. Stacey gave an invited seminar at the University of Iowa and was a plenary speaker at Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Conference. She gave a talk at the ACS meeting in Salt Lake City and presented a poster at the Gordon Research Conference on Chemistry Education Research and Practice.

*40 students attended the CER Graduate Student Conference, funded by the National Science Foundation, held at Miami University from June 5-7, 2009.

2008

*Welcome to Dr. David Sanabria-Rios from University of Puerto-Rico. David's post-doctoral appointment is funded through the Heanon Wilkins Fellowship program.

*Congratulations to Dr. Nathaniel Grove who graduated with his Ph.D. to join Dr. Melanie Cooper at Clemson for a post-doc appointment.

*Congratulations to Michael Fay, M.S. who earned the College of Arts & Science TA Award, completed his master’s thesis and will be a high school chemistry teacher at St. Henry High School in Kentucky.

*Congratulations to Kathryn Nafziger, M.S. who successfully defended her thesis.  She will be teaching chemistry at Oak Hills HS in Cincinnati, OH.

*Beth Motter and Alyssa Paloian, undergraduate researchers in our group, graduated from Miami.

*Madhu’s graduated from Miami and his website design used in our CHEMX research was featured in the Cincinnati Business Courier

*Mary O'Donnell earned the Dept. of Chemistry & Biochemistry TA Award.

*Congratulations to our NSF CER Doctoral Fellows:

        Michael Bindis, Baldwin Wallace College

        Ashley Coffelt, Missouri State University

        Larry Jackson, Murray-Wright High School

        Jana Jensen, Bethel College

        Cynthia Luxford, Grand Valley State University

        Heather Stong, Brigham Young University Idaho

        Ana Vasquez, Gateway Early College High School

*The Bretz group presented multiple papers at the 20th BCCE from July 26-30.

*Stacey edited Chemistry and the National Science Education Standards: Models for Meaningful Learning in the High School Classroom which was published in a 2nd edition by the American Chemical Society and favorably reviewed by NSTA Recommends. Stacey launched the CER listserv.