Committee Representative Candidates
Mary Oloyede
Alexandria, VA
Years of experience: 0-5
Teaching and Chemistry Interests
The best way to learn science is by being actively involved. My pedagogical approach to teaching is predominantly student-centered, including classroom activities such as hands-on experiments, project-based learning, student-led discussion (pair and group), open-ended questions that promote inquiry, scientific discourse, formulating hypotheses, and carrying out investigations. I approach students' gaps in knowledge by leveraging on Students' Prior knowledge to challenge misconceptions and offer support to attain the potential height of their understanding.
The science classroom should instill Curiosity as it is the driving force to experience the eagerness to learn science. It drives students to take charge of their learning.
Why I Want to Serve
My passion and interest for improving the field of science specifically in chemistry education is a driving force to serving the AACT as a committee representative. As a chemistry educator, I see this opportunity to contribute meaningfully through shared innovative thinking, ideas, and collaborative efforts with other chemistry professionals. My skill in effective, concise, and clear communication which I have garnered over the years would help me in communicating the priorities of the committee to the AACT governing body with a shared goal and common interest of advancing the field of chemistry across various schools in the United States.
I hold an undergraduate degree in Chemistry Education and a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction (science education). I incorporate a holistic approach to teaching chemistry and I intentionally embed cross-disciplinary skills such as critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and teamwork into my instruction to support scientific inquiry and problem-solving among students.
Beyond the classroom, I have held leadership roles in educational and professional settings, including the Virginia Science Olympiad. I am actively involved in curriculum development, teacher collaboration, and professional development, which has strengthened my ability to organize, communicate, and build effective teaching practices.
Additionally, my experience in hiring and recruitment has taught me the importance of selecting individuals with shared goals and the value of objective scoring methods to ensure fair, consistent decisions.
I would be honored to collaborate with other science educators to foster inclusivity and promote interdisciplinary approaches that reflect today’s global challenges in chemistry education.
Elliot Richman
Ramapo, NJ
Years of experience: 10–15
Teaching and Chemistry Interests
I recognize that chemistry is difficult to learn and to teach.
I believe that:
1. Regardless of the approach used to make chemistry understandable its truths should not be diluted or distorted by oversimplification;
2. Every effort should be used to enable students to understand and engage with the curriculum;
3. Strategies and tactics exist to accomplish this.
I want students to appreciate that:
1. Science is antiauthoritarian, empowering, self-correcting, and communal;
2. Science is the only means of understanding the world and modifying our environment;
3. Observable phenomena and the physical world are understandable through perspicacity and rational thought.
Why I Want to Serve
Any answer to “why serve?” boils down to this: I want to do all I can to improve the quality and effectiveness of instruction. I became a teacher at age 53, been a member of ACS since 1975, and joined AACT at its inception. I received the Edward J. Merrill Award for Excellence in Teaching High School Chemistry from the ACS North Jersey Section.
My educational and professional background comprises chemistry, journalism, communication, and chemical education. I hold BS and PhD degrees in chemistry from the University of Rochester, studied chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania, and was a NIH Postdoctoral Fellow at Columbia University. A scientific/medical editor/writer since 1978, after the Twin Towers fell I re-evaluated life and became a high school teacher. The themes unifying this tripartite career (science, journalism, teaching) include appreciating that science is our only means of interacting with the world, an ability to repackage material to meet informational needs of audiences, a battery of communicational/organizational skills—and I love to teach.
I’ve been an ACS Science Coach for five years and serve on the ACS's Senior Chemists Committee and DivChemEd. Other memberships: National Association of Science Writers, American Association for the Advancement of Science, New York Academy of Sciences, American Association of Physics Teachers. I mentor college students and graduates, science writers, and science teachers.
As incumbent Committee Representative I'll continue the work I've already begun aimed at improving AACT member engagement and facilitating participation in AACT activities, which ultimately strengthens our profession and community.