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2020 ELETHE MALUMNI MAGAZINEENTS OF THE VIRGINIA TECH DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY A YEAR 2022200020 202220002 IN REVIEW LETTER FROM THE CHAIR Dear Alumni and Friends of the Department, What is there to say about 2020? It started normal enough and then in March took a turn nobody could have predicted. The good news for our Department is that the impacts of COVID were not nearly as severe as we prepared to face. I am particularly grateful to the faculty, staff, post-docs and graduate students for embracing public health recommendations and demonstrating incredible flexibility over the past year. Though it now feels “normal” to have virtual events and meetings, it was a slow progression to this point. In March, after it was announced that the rest of the semester would be virtual, we moved our courses online and adapted our annual graduate recruiting weekend to a virtual experience, all in a single week. Two weeks and another announcement later, we shut down all research activities, again in less than a weeks’ time. Another two weeks and another announcement, our annual department awards ceremony and graduation ceremony went virtual. I would like to believe that for many of us, COVID provided a reminder of how much we love chemistry and how much we missed it when it was taken away. Thankfully, in a small silver lining, we were allowed to reopen research over the summer with updated safety guidelines. The summer months were also spent planning for different forms of online and hybrid online/in-person instruction in the fall. For chemistry, COVID social distancing restrictions meant only 1.5% of the 6,400 undergraduate students we normally teach received some form of in-person lecture instruction, whereas 70% of our graduate instruction was fully in-person. We were able to provide some form of in-person, socially distanced instruction for almost all laboratory courses with the exception of non-majors general chemistry lab. Looking towards Spring 2021, our plan is to expand in-person instruction where we can while maintaining a high level of education and safety. Despite all odds, 2020 still brought great things to the department and we have focused on these bright spots in this issue of Elements. There were also losses of beloved mentors and friends, independent of COVID, and we take a moment to mourn those as well. As we look to 2021, the recent news of a safe and effective vaccine gives us hope that we may be able to return to normal activities in Fall 2021. In the meantime, you and your families are in our thoughts and prayers and we hope we are in yours. Sincerely, Alan Esker Chair, Department of Chemistry 2 ELEMENTS 2020 CONTENTS EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief: Alan Esker Writer: Corrin Lundquist Design: Corrin Lundquist A UNIVERSITY EXEMPLARY 4 DEPARTMENT, AGAIN DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY Department Chair: Alan Esker Associate Chair: Amanda Morris Director of Undergraduate Programs: LEAVING A LEGACY Patricia Amateis 6 Director of the Graduate Program: John Morris TELL US WHAT YOU THINK OF NOTE We welcome your comments 9 and story ideas for future issues: [email protected] KEEP UP WITH US IN MEMORIAM Follow us on Facebook (VTCHEM) 16 and Twitter (@VTChemDept) Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action institution. 3 FEATURE A UNIVERSITY EXEMPLARY DEPARTMENT, AGAIN The department continues a tradition of excellence with recognition from the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost. BY CORRIN LUNDQUIST In February, the Department of Chemistry was honored One of the most pervasive inclusivity and access issues to solve as a 2019 University Exemplary Department by the Office of in chemistry departments throughout the country is how to the Executive Vice President and Provost in partnership with effectively teach large introductory classes. The courses generally the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. It is the seat upwards of 300 students per section from majors across the department’s fifth award, after having received the honor in 2016, university and cover critical, foundational concepts essential for 2015, 2014 and 2009. Three other programs were also honored understanding more advanced subjects. One of the challenges at the ceremony: the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and for lectures of this size is reduced student involvement. In recent Cultural Thought (ASPECT); the Department of Modern and years, two main approaches have emerged to tackle the issue: Classical Languages and Literatures; and the Department of flipped-classroom and inquiry-based learning. In the former Sociology. Since its establishment by the provost’s office in 1994, approach, students are tasked with learning the day’s content each year’s award has featured a different theme, emphasizing ahead of the lecture and work through application problems the multifaceted nature of excellence in academia. The theme during the lecture period with hands-on assistance from the for 2019 was “inclusive excellence in teaching and learning.” instructor. Inquiry-based learning involves asking students more conceptual questions intended to stimulate their curiosity Inclusivity has been a rapidly growing topic in academia in and interest in the subject matter. Of the two approaches, the recent years. As higher education becomes more accessible latter was implemented in a section of general chemistry and to a wider demographic of students, taking steps to ensure all was a resounding success. Students in the inquiry-based course students receive the same quality of education is pertinent. reported that they felt they better understood the content, Because each individual has their own set of needs, solutions to enjoyed learning the material, and noticed they were able to help address the gaps can look different, from developing a new solve problems more efficiently. teaching approach to fostering a community for students that may not have one. Oftentimes, it’s a combination of efforts that Much of the work to create an inclusive classroom starts with make the most difference in a student’s experience. learning about new pedagogy. The department launched the Inclusive Pedagogy Lunch Series for faculty members to learn The department has long been committed to improving access about and discuss new innovations in inclusive teaching. and inclusion for all students. In 2018, the department became Speakers included faculty from other departments on campus a participant in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) who have been implementing different approaches that Inclusive Excellence Program. Participation in the program has encourage active student participation and have demonstrated led to a number of new initiatives for the department including success for underrepresented groups. In the spring, the HHMI the Inclusive Pedagogy Lunch Series, a spring semester of the committee invited the general chemistry team from Michigan First Year Experience course, and supplemental instructional State University that implemented an inquiry-based approach videos for general chemistry. throughout its general chemistry curriculum. 4 ELEMENTS / FEATURE Members of the department Undergraduate Education Committee at the University Exemplary Department Award banquet in February 2020. Back row, left to right: Gordon Yee, Diego Troya, Department Chair Alan Esker, Gary Long Front row: Joe Merola, Undergraduate Program Director Patricia Amateis. Photo courtesy of Tiffany Shoop. Each department in the university offers a First Year Experience most frequently pose a problem for students. Another of the (FYE) course to its first year majors to provide students with a issues facing large introductory classes is that students may community as they navigate the first few months of university not seek help when they need it for a host of different reasons. life together and to create a cohesive cohort. During the first few Oftentimes, these students struggle with the same conceptual years of the course, instructors recognized that students coming area and need more detail or practice. The video library, which from different backgrounds, including transfer students, first- currently contains nine videos covering a variety of difficult generation students and underrepresented groups, would concepts, serves as a supplement to the course and allows benefit from an additional semester with the community formed students to work through problems at their own pace, as many during the fall. With support from the HHMI Program, FYE2 times as they want, anytime, anywhere. was created. Students were invited to take a second, spring semester of FYE with a curriculum focused on creativity and While recognition by the University Exemplary Department developing hands-on skills that would transfer to lab work. The Award doesn’t indicate completion or perfection, it does serve course was first offered in Spring 2019 and after its success, was asmotivation to keep improving and refining. The department offered again in Spring 2020. has made significant strides so far and the work to make Virginia Tech Chemistry inclusive of all students remains a priority. In addition to its other inclusivity initiatives, the HHMI team created a library of videos, focusing on specific concepts that 2020 5 FEATURE LEAVING A LEGACY After an illustrious career spanning decades, University Distinguished Professor David Kingston retires. A celebration originally scheduled for April 2020 was cancelled due to COVID-19, so to mark the occasion, we asked Kingston group alumni to send in their well wishes. EDITED BY CORRIN LUNDQUIST I am very grateful to Professor David Kingston for his trust, guidance, support and kindness when I was a senior postdoctoral my first break to go abroad from India to get advanced training research fellow from April 2003 to November 2008. It would be in chemistry and contribute to the field of medicinal chemistry impossible to count all that he has been helping me in my career, through my knowledge and skills. Professor Kingston’s lab was from Virginia Tech to Harvard Medical School, and then all the an ideal diverse place for me to get to know many graduate way west to the University of Hawaii.