Current Researchers
Addyson Walker, Abby Casey, and Jazmin Devereau joined the team in May 2026 to help tackle Ionization Energy (Abby and Jazmin) and Atomic Radii (Addyson with Olivia). This work will be highlighted at MidSURE 2026.
Mya Hastings (Dec 2025), Payton Sawyer (Mar 2026), and Sokhna Gueye (May 2026) have joined from GVSU! Excited to have them working on Kinetics (Mya), Atomic Radii (Sokhna), Ionization Energy (Mya and Payton). Mya presented her work at the BCCE 2026 in Madison, WI.
Former Researchers
The 2025-26 crew! Starting in summer and working through May 2026, Lindsey Geiger (on left), Makenna Rendeiro, Kripa Paudel (on left), and Olivia Kollovozi joined Ana Ivanov. We were able to tackle Entropy (summer 2025), Buffers (Fall 2025), and Kinetics (Fall 2025/Spring 2026). The team presented at MidSURE, the LBC Research Symposium, and UURAF. All 4 also presented their work at the 2026 Spring ACS meeting. Makenna and Olivia collected a Best Educational Presentation at the LBC Research Showcase in 2026.
Ana Ivanov joined the research group in Summer 2024. As part of the Chemistry On Screen project, she has been involved in the IMFS, Gas Laws, Enthalpy, and Acids topics. She presented her work at the 2025 Spring ACS Meeting. She received a best presentation award at the LBC Research Showcase.
Through my collaboration with Debbie Herrington, I’ve been able to work with several Grand Valley State University students on the Chemistry On Screen project. Current students include Lucian Forestieri (above with Ana), Gabby Palombo (below with Ryan), and Bella Senkoski (below with Ryan).
Ryan Chenoweth joined the research group in Fall 2024. As part of the Chemistry On Screen project, he has been involved in the Gas Laws, Enthalpy, and Acids topics. He presented his work at the 2025 Spring ACS Meeting.
Sophia Gudinas joined the research group in Spring semester of 2024 and continued through Spring 2025. She worked on the Chemistry On Screen project on several topics. Her work included bonding, IMFs, Gas Laws, Enthalpy, and Acids. She presented her work at the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education in 2024. She received a best presentation award at the LBC Research Showcase.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with several Grand Valley State University students through the Chemistry On Screen project. This included Sylvie Schrader and Gabby Palombo.
Victoria Chisholm and Chloe Lohman joined the research group for the Summer of 2024 as LBC Research Fellows. They joined in the Chemistry On Screen project as we explored videos about IMFS. They presented their work at Mid-SURE 2024.
Leah Zajac was the recipient of a Spring 2023 LBC Research Fellowship who has been laying the foundation for a new research project that will explore the quality of chemistry education videos. She presented her work at the Spring 2024 ACS meeting. She received a best presentation award at the LBC Research Showcase.
Emily Zimmer and Dibakar Roy are a pair of LBC undergraduates who received and LBC Undergraduate Research Fellowship in Summer of 2022. They have been working on helping to understand the impact of the 3DL Fellows program on how faculty participants write exams. (Hint, the inclusion of Science Practices, Core Ideas, and 3D questions increases!) They presented their work at the Spring 2023 ACS meeting
Iqbal Hossain ’23 is a PhD Chemistry student who has joined the research efforts through the SUTL program. He has been working on helping to understand the impact of the 3DL Fellows program on how faculty participants write exams. (Hint, the inclusion of Science Practices, Core Ideas, and 3D questions increases!)
Merve Kursav ’22 was a PhD candidate in the PRIME program. Merve and I connected through the LBC SUTL program. She was been involved in my analysis efforts of INQUIRE and SPRING programs. This then blossomed into several other efforts as well. She was the co-author and key cog in creating the Determinants of STEM Retention model for STEM retention. So far she has been co-author on three publications.
Shanna Hilborn ’21 worked on the texting project and ChemSims project. She was supported by an LBC research grant in Fall 2019. She was a co-author on our ChemSims equilibrium paper. She is currently working toward her PhD in Chemistry Education at UNC-Greensboro.
Brianna Martinez ’19 – A go to researcher on a variety of projects. Brianna has been involved in a project describing the impact of the LB 494 course as an academic-industrial partnership for course-based undergraduate research and is also working on understanding the impact of the S-STEM program on students. Wishing her all the best at FIU as she works on her Chemistry Education PhD! She is a coauthor on our Gas Law work.
Alec Shrode ’19 – “The voice” behind the Atomic Interactions screencast. He has also been an expert on data analysis for the screencast project. Doing his student teaching prior to a great future as a high school science teacher. He is a coauthor on our Atomic Interaction work.
Alysha Klein ’18 – Work on making sense of the experiences of the S-STEM scholars and gaining a deep understanding of qualitative research.
Rebecca Tauscher ’15 – Pulled together a mix of qualitative and quantiative skills to better understand the implementation of the ChemConnections modules. Off to the FBI. Undergraduate Research Award recipient in Fall 2012 and Spring 2013.
Patrick Chouinard ’14 – Helped draft a paper summarizing our ability to explain variance on the MCAT. Rocked the statistical techniques.
Kathleen Jeffery ’12 – (PhD in Chemistry Education) Worked on a mix of the BRAID project and S-STEM evaluation. Kathleen has also examined students understanding of chemical kinetics. Author on four publications.
Leah Creech ’14 – (now with an DVM) Played with the numbers to find differences between student performance in upper level science courses. Won 1st place award at UURAF 2012, Undergraduate Research Award Winner in Fall 2011 and Spring 2012. Published author.
Bo Parsons ’15 – Worked on the BRAID project and some qualitative analysis. Undergraduate Research Award recipient Fall 2012.
Alexandra Collins-Webb ’12 grad (Dr. of Verterinary Medicine) Wordsmith extrodinaire – evaluating student responses about their organic experiences and getting to know the sticky world of confidence. Won 1st place award at UURAF 2010, Undergraduate Research Award Winner in Summer 2009. Coauthor of a published paper.
Matthew Rauschenberger ’10 grad -(Now Dr. Rauschenberger) The numbers guru – working on data analysis for organic chemsitry, biochemistry, MCAT, etc. Coauthor of a published paper.
Lindsey Phillips ’14 – Helped to determine the long-term impacts of general chemistry courses through an online survey.
Elizabeth Bell ’08 grad – Likely Dr. now – master of the Secret Writing project. Coauthor of a published paper.
Other individuals passing through the research lab include Dan Glover and Hilal Qiblawi.
