DMR 0520404

1. Reaching High School Chemistry Students Through Their TeachersScientists and Teachers Partner to Improve Chemistry Education The Cornell Institute for Chemistry Teachers (CICT) brings high school chemistry teachers together with Cornell chemistry professors to address the challenges of high school chemistry education. Cornell chemistry faculty developed a series of lectures paired with inquiry-based laboratory experiments for the teachers. The lectures address common misperceptions in chemistry, present chemical concepts in the context of current national challenges, and provide teachers with an informal network of peers and scientists. The topics covered in the CICT include organic chemistry, electrochemistry, chemical bonding and thermodynamics. One teacher pointed out, “the lectures synthesized these concepts and reminded me of the interconnectivity of chemistry.” Teachers also tour Cornell experimental facilities to learn about the latest scientific advancements. Upon completion of the program, teachers earn graduate credit from Cornell as part of their professional development. Prof. Melissa Hines, Director of the Cornell Center for Materials Research, (second from right) works with three high school chemistry teachers to measure the “free energy” of an unknown salt. DMR 0520404 For more details, visit the Cornell Center for Materials Research at www.ccmr.cornell.edu