Group members

A/Prof Chris Thompson (Leader)

Chris is an Associate Professor in Chemistry Education with a background in physical chemistry. He has published ~60 papers in the fields of both science education and his native discipline of spectroscopy. At the Faculty of Science he has focused on curriculum and assessment reform across all year levels, and paid particular attention to the employability of Science Graduates from all disciplines. He currently serves as Associate Dean (Education), plays drums in Aussie pop-rock outfit The Gems, and collects old-school BMX.

Prof Tina Overton

Tina is Distinguished Professor and part-time member of ChaSERs after serving as Professor of Chemistry Education and full-time member of ChaSERs for four years. Tina's research interests are in problem solving, critical thinking, inquiry-, context- and problem-based learning, work-based learning and graduate employability.

Dr Angela Ziebell

Angela is the academic lead for Monash Science's efforts to transition students from the classroom to the workforce. Angela coordinates the annual Science Industry Week, the Career skills for scientists unit and the internship units. Angela’s research centres around understanding students’ perceptions of their future workplaces, and how a closer relationship between universities and future workplaces can help all parties. Angela has also recently taken on a role working as the faculties Indigenous engagement champion and is building an Indigenous Science unit. The unit will showcase the use of science in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, both now and pre-contact.

Angela has project and customer management experience working with scientific industry, research institutes, government bodies and academia in the USA and Australia. Originally used to manage multi-million dollar projects and tens of thousands of samples a year, Angela now uses her skills in the Higher Education sector to bridge the gap between academia and the external employers where most of our graduates are destined.

From 2016-18 Angela led a redevelopment program for Monash Chemistry's laboratory activities, redeveloping 17 lab classes by working directly with industry to build context and inquiry into activities, better preparing students for the workplace.

Dr Stephen Danczak

Stephen Danczak was an assistant lecturer in the School of Chemistry, teaching and developing curriculum at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Stephen completed his PhD with Chris Thompson and Tina Overton in 2018 focusing on the development and evaluation of critical thinking in the chemistry curriculum. He is interested in the holistic develop of undergraduate students focusing on transferable skills such as creativity. His previous experience includes senior teaching associate, and tutor role in the Faculty of Science at Monash, and in a past life (over 10 years ago) he was an organic chemistry with industry experience at Dulux and Orica. Stephen is now a learning skills adviser working in the Hargrave-Andrew Library.

Michelle Hill

After completing a BSc(Hons) in Chemistry, Michelle worked in R&D in the chemical industry for 11 years, researching improved polymers for a range of applications, and training and supporting manufacturing and technical teams in the Pacific region. She then worked as Head of Research and Insights at an international strategy consulting firm for 10 years, before commencing doctoral science and chemistry education research which reflects her passion to help prepare undergraduates for a diverse employment future. She currently teaches career and employability skills to science students at Monash University. She is a RACI member and past recipient of the Masson Memorial Medal.

Kathy Fernandez

Kathy’s research interest focuses on improving student attitude and achievement through the development of relevant learning resources. Her project Context-based Undergraduate Biochemistry for Health Science (CUHBS), commenced in 2018. Kathy is a teaching associate in biochemistry and the Indigenous Academic Engagement Program (IAEP) at Monash University. Before coming to Australia, she worked in the Philippines as food analyst for six years and as senior lecturer in the chemistry department at Trinity University of Asia for fifteen years. She is a member of the ASBMB and AARE and a recipient of the 2019 Professor Alison Lee Scholarship and the IUPAC 2019 Poster Award.

Camilla Fisher

Camilla Fisher holds a Bachelor of Science (Adv.) Honours degree from the Australian National University, and is now pursuing her PhD at Monash University on the topic: “Investigating the gendered experience of undergraduate science students in Australia”. Camilla’s research career started in a laboratory environment, but she is now pursuing research in education due to her interest in social science research and the impact it can have on widening participation in science.

Charisse Reyes

Cha is the most recent addition to the group. In April 2019, she commenced her PhD project on “Designing Chemistry Courses Through the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework for Blended and Online Learning Environments”.

Dr Wei Zhou

Wei is a visiting scholar from Beijing Technology and Business University, China. His project is about “Studying Strategies of Chinese chemistry undergraduates studying abroad”. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of different tertiary chemistry education systems on studying strategies of Chinese undergraduate chemistry students.

Megan Runacres

Meg is interested in Science Communication and how science is taught to the general public. She joined the ChASERs in July of 2018 and have scaffolded a research project with Museums Victoria's, Scienceworks, to explore the school science-excursion experience from a primary school teacher's perspective. She has worked with the group previously on a third year project with Michelle Hill. She has graduated from the team in June 2019 and had thoroughly enjoyed her time in the group.

Elizabeth Leong

Elizabeth is a current Chemistry honours student whose project looks into the success of student transition from secondary to tertiary Chemistry studies at Monash. She's previously done projects with the group in relation to this topic, redeveloped several laboratory experiments, and made use of quizzing apps to increase the engagement and student understanding of Chemistry. Elizabeth's passion in the teaching and learning of science comes from her background in Secondary Education and Science, a course she completed previously at Monash.

Nathan Sos

Nathan is a current a chemistry honours student who's project investigates decision-making as a means to counteract cognitive overload in the undergraduate chemistry laboratory. He has also worked as a teaching associate at the first-year undergraduate chemistry labs at Monash.