Chemistry and the Environment ─ Pedagogical Models and Practices

As evidenced by the chapters within this volume, the field of chemical pedagogy is diverse. Models employed by authors of these chapters include guided-inquiry learning, peer-mentoring, service learning opportunities, project-based exercises, flipped classrooms, and studies-abroad. While these approaches differ, the one common thread is the use of environmental topics to capture the attention of students who then use chemistry concepts to further explain those issues and concepts.

"Chemistry and the Environment: Pedagogical Models and Practices" focuses on context-based pedagogy in which chemistry concepts are presented to students through the examination of environmental issues and concepts. These examples of context-based instructional practices are diverse, and evaluation for each requires its own methodology. Therefore, there is a great need in the chemical education community for more published examples of practices and assessment tools for chemical educators. This much-needed book provides examples for those interested in applying chemistry concepts to environmental topics to stimulate student learning.

Kendra R. Evans is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. Her research focuses on the development and use of automated liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods to investigate long-term insulin secretion dynamics. Her research interests also include the detection of pesticides in water and animal tissue. Evans received a B.S. in Chemistry from Western Kentucky University and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Michigan. She joined the faculty at the University of Detroit Mercy in 2009.

Elizabeth Roberts-Kirchhoff is Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. Her research interests include the mechanism of action of cytochrome P450 enzymes; the analysis of metals in food and health supplements including kelp, clay, and protein powders; and the analysis of pesticides in water. Roberts-Kirchhoff received a B.S. in Chemistry from Texas A & M University and a Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the University of Michigan. After postdoctoral research at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan, she joined the faculty at the University of Detroit Mercy in 1997.

Mark Benvenuto is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy and a Fellow of the ACS. His research thrusts span a wide array of subjects, but include the use of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy to determine trace elements in land-based. Benvenuto received a B.S. in Chemistry from the Virginia Military Institute, and after several years in the Army, a Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry from the University of Virginia. After a post-doctoral fellowship at the Pennsylvania State University, he joined the faculty at the University of Detroit Mercy in late 1993.

Katherine Lanigan, is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Detroit Mercy. Lanigan's research includes analysis of trace metal accumulation both in plants and invertebrates and adsorption studies of metal-complexed EDTA on metal oxide thin films by ATR-FTIR. Lanigan received a B.S. degree in Chemistry from the University of Dayton in 1990 and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Iowa in 1996. She joined the University of Detroit Mercy in 1999.

Alexa Rihana-Abdallah is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Detroit Mercy. Her research interests include water and soil remediation, in particular contaminant fate pathways and remediation design for surface and groundwater polluted with metals or chlorinated compounds. Rihana-Abdallah received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Ecole Superieure des Ingenieurs de Beyrouth - Universite St. Joseph and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from the University of Michigan. She joined the faculty at the University of Detroit Mercy in late 2000.