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Started about 7 years ago by Lacy Buck.


    Good morning everyone!  I wanted to start by just saying hi and giving you all a little background so we can all get to know each other.  I currently live in Phoenix (I've been here about 7 months) I came from South Bend Indiana.  So, I a huge IU fan (or support Big Ten sports) and was thrill to have gotten to watch the Cubs win (life long fan).
   I have a BS in chemistry and a MS in education.  I have been teaching Chemistry (physical science, integrated chemistry physics, AP Chemistry, and ACP chemistry II).  I worked in the lab for a few years before going into education.  This year I am at a charter school, but will be going to a private school next year (up until moving to Phoenix I had always been in the public schools).
       I thought this type of partnership would be a neat experience to take part in.  I look forward to getting to know you all and create an awesome team :)


8 Comments

  • Amber Carr

    Posted about 7 years ago

    Thanks, Lacy! We should definitely all talk about what types of applications you would like to bring into your classrooms - I would be happy to think about how to incorporate these into your curricula. I am swamped this week and away at a workshop next week, but I will be back on March 6 and would be happy to coordinate a video chat at a time that works for everyone. I figure that it's most efficient to do things that way, but if any of you have other ideas, please let me know!
  • Lacy Buck

    Posted about 7 years ago

    Amber, it sounds like you will be a great source for us!  I love the fact that you want to help connect chemistry to real-world applications, that is always an area that I know I need to do a better job at incorporating.
  • Amber Carr

    Posted about 7 years ago

    I'm sorry that my intro looks like a crazy rant - the paragraph breaks didn't come through in the formatting! :)
  • Amber Carr

    Posted about 7 years ago

    Hello everyone! I’m really excited to read everyone’s introductions and to learn more about all of you. So here’s a little bit about me: Since 2015, I have been working as a postdoc at the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, CA. I am a computational/physical chemist by training, but my work has spanned so many disciplines that I don’t really know how to describe myself anymore! Currently, I work with experimental polymer chemists and materials scientists, using simulations to provide them with atomic-level details of the materials that they make in the lab. Some applications of the new polymeric materials that are being developed here include water filtration membranes, antibacterial coatings, and batteries. My work has focused on improving the properties of polymeric nanoparticles for use in targeted drug delivery. During my PhD work at Stony Brook University in NY, I focused on improving sampling algorithms for computer simulations of the protein folding process. My work has been in different areas, but the common themes that continually inspire me are phase transitions and critical phenomena, self-assembling and biologically inspired systems, and structure-function relationships in biological materials. Although I am working in research right now, my real passion is for teaching. Following the completion of my PhD in 2013, I was a Science Fellow at Columbia University in NY, where I taught a Core Curriculum course for freshmen, entitled Frontiers of Science. Teaching Frontiers was incredibly fun because the course material is very broad, so I had the opportunity to teach areas of science that were new to me – neuroscience, paleontology, and astrophysics being among my favorites. The other faculty members came from many different areas of science, so I learned a lot from interacting with them. I have also been a faculty member in Citizen Science, which is a science-literacy course with a focus on infectious disease, at Bard College and Bard Prison Initiative. At the high-school level, I have taught and developed interdisciplinary STEM curricula for the YWCA and Upward Bound. Mentoring is very important to me, particularly with underrepresented student populations, and I currently work with the New York Academy of Science to administer two of their mentoring programs for young women in STEM. I hope that I can help to make useful contributions to your classrooms! Some of my favorite lessons that I have developed for classes that I have taught in the past involve using the Protein Data Bank to discover protein structure-function relationships; participating in online citizen-science and gamification initiatives such as FoldIt, EteRNA, and NanoDocs; and using the Geneious software to trace the origins of HIV using bioinformatics approaches. I am more than happy to help your students make connections to “real-world” chemistry applications – particularly as a theorist, I have learned a lot from working in industry about current challenges that can be solved using chemistry. When I had time for hobbies, I enjoyed learning languages, swimming, reading, and playing the harp and the viola. I’m going to be making an effort to slow down the pace of my professional life a little bit in the very near future so that I have more time for these things again!
  • Jodi Fertoli

    Posted about 7 years ago

    Good afternoon! I'm Jodi Fertoli and I am in a suburb of NYC, Staten Island. I teach at a specialized high school where the students are super smart, highly motivated and cooperative. Although it's a public high school (grades 9-12) they actually take an entrance exam to enter the school. We are 1 to 1 as well... this is our 4th year but this past year they have changed from iPads to tablets that don't get the job done. I currently teach Honors Chemistry and also Chem lab and physics lab. In the past I have taught computer software and AP Chemistry. I have been teaching Chemistry to freshmen the last two years and it's been a great experience... usually our students take Chemistry their 2nd year, but so many students have been entering out school with Biology already, we have grouped them together so I can support them a little better. I am also one of the coaches of the Science Olympiad at our school - we were so successful this year an earned a spot in the State Event 3/11. So that is kind of consuming my life as of now. I am super excited to meet everyone and share information. :) Jodi
  • Brandy Hildebrand

    Posted about 7 years ago

    Yes, we should really talk. I love the school that I am at my other issue is the lack of supplies and equipment. It makes doing some labs harder.
  • Lacy Buck

    Posted about 7 years ago

    Brandy, I have been considering working towards the masters in Chem as well with the happenings with the dual credit class and higher learning commission.  Next year I will be at a Catholic school as well (I will be interested in talking with you on how you incorporate the spiritual side into you lessons).  I won't hold being a Cardinal fan against you :)
  • Brandy Hildebrand

    Posted about 7 years ago

    Good Morning! I am live in Collinsville, Illinois, I am about 20 minutes from St. Louis, MO. I have a big Cardinals fan :) . I have lived in this area my entire life. I have a BS in chemistry and would like to start working toward a Masters in Chemistry. I am currently teaching Honors Chemistry, Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Earth and Physical Science. Next year we are adding Marine Science which I am really excited about. I work at a private Catholic School. I thought this partnership would be wonderful because we could share information and go to each other for help. This is the first year I have taught AP Chemistry and could really use some advice. In my school we have two science teachers so I could use advice, Have a wonderful day!