Dr. Ellen J. Yezierski (Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction/Chemistry Education, Arizona State University) is a Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Miami University. She is the co-developer of the NSF-funded Target Inquiry Professional Development Program and a former high school chemistry teacher. Her research group focuses on improving conceptual understanding of chemistry by examining the dynamics of teaching and teacher change. The goal of their work is to markedly reform instruction and improve chemistry learning across a variety of grade levels (high school and college). Projects employ phenomenological methods to explore teacher beliefs and change, evaluating chemistry representations in inquiry classrooms, and the use of molecular-level animations in teaching and learning. In the VisChem project, Dr. Yezierski is now focusing on dissemination of both research findings and the VisChem Approach.
VisChem Team
Dr. Roy Tasker has a Ph.D. in synthetic inorganic chemistry from Otago University, NZ, and is currently a Professor of Chemistry at Western Sydney University. He still supervises three graduate students from his time at Purdue University (2015 – 2018), co-authors the third edition of Chemistry: Human Activity and Chemical Reactivity, and is active in research on exploring the potential of immersive virtual reality learning environments for learning molecular-level chemistry.
His main focus is the development of learning designs for specific chemistry concepts, using the integrated suite of VisChem molecular-level animations and simulations, and informed by research in the cognitive challenges of multimedia learning (the VisChem Learning Approach).
In 2011 he received the Prime Minister’s Award for Australian University Teacher of the Year, and in 2014 – 2015 was seconded from university duties to conduct national workshops on the use of visualisation in tertiary science teaching in his Australian National Senior Teaching Fellowship (ScienceVis.com.au).
Web Designer
Heather earned her B.A.S. from Miami University and has over 20 years experience working with grant-funded projects at the university. As project coordinator/web designer and manager, Heather builds and maintains recruitment/project web sites, coordinates teacher travel, manages on site teacher accommodations, correspondence, scheduling, program promotion, reporting, tracking funds, purchasing, and issuing checks.
Past Team Members
