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Chemistry Education Research and Practice

The free to access journal for teachers, researchers and other practitioners in chemistry education

You can find details about how to access information remotely in this step-by-step guide . The guide will also help if for any reason you have difficulty accessing the content you want.

What would you like to know about Chemistry Education Research and Practice?

Impact factor: 2.6*

Time to first decision (all decisions): 25.0 days**

Time to first decision (peer reviewed only): 40.0 days***

Editor: Scott Lewis

Chair: David F Treagust

Indexed in Scopus and Web of Science

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Chemistry Education Research and Practice (CERP) is the journal for teachers, researchers and other practitioners at all levels of chemistry education. It is published free of charge electronically four times a year, thanks to sponsorship by the Royal Society of Chemistry's Education Division. Coverage includes the following:

• Research, and reviews of research, in chemistry education
• Evaluations of effective innovative practice in the teaching of chemistry
• In-depth analyses of issues of direct relevance to chemistry education

The objectives of the journal:

• To provide researchers with the means to publish their work in full in a journal exclusively dedicated to chemistry education
• To offer teachers of chemistry at all levels a place where they can share effective ideas and methods for the teaching and learning of chemistry
• To bridge the gap between the two groups so that researchers will have their results seen by those who could benefit from using them, and practitioners will gain from encountering the ideas and results of those who have made a particular study of the learning process

Guidance on the nature of acceptable contributions can be found in Recognising quality in reports of chemistry education research and practice .

Meet the team

Find out who is on the editorial and advisory boards for the  Chemistry Education Research and Practice (CERP) journal.

David F Treagust ,  Curtin University of Technology, Australia

Scott  Lewis ,  University of South Florida, USA

Deputy editor

Nicole Graulich , Justus-Liebig Universität Gießen, Germany

Associate editors

Jack Barbera , Portland State University, USA

Mageswary Karpudewan , Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM)

James Nyachwaya , North Dakota State University, USA

Editorial board members

Mei-Hung Chiu , National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Resa Kelly , San Jose State University, USA

Gwen Lawrie , University of Queensland, Australia

David Read , University of Southampton, UK

Bill Byers , University of Ulster, UK

Melanie Cooper , Michigan State University, USA

Onno de Jong, University of Utrecht, Netherlands Iztok Devetak , University of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Odilla Finlayson , Dublin City University, Ireland

Loretta Jones , University of Northern Colorado, USA

Orla Catherine Kelly , Church of Ireland College of Education, Ireland

Scott Lewis, Editor, University of South Florida, USA

Iwona Maciejowska, Jagiellonian University, Poland Rachel Mamlok-Naaman , The Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

David McGarvey, Keele University, UK Mansoor Niaz , Universidad de Oriente, Venezuela MaryKay Orgill , University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA George Papageorgiou , Democritus University of Thrace, Greece Ilka Parchmann , University of Kiel, Germany Michael K. Seery , University of Edinburgh, UK

Keith Taber , University of Cambridge, UK Daniel Tan , Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Zoltán Toth , University of Debrecen, Hungary

Georgios Tsaparlis , (Founding Editor), University of Ioannina, Greece

Jan H van Driel , The University of Melbourne, Australia

Mihye Won , Monash University, Australia

Lisa Clatworthy , Managing Editor

Helen Saxton , Editorial Production Manager

Becky Webb , Senior Publishing Editor

Laura Cooper , Publishing Editor

Hannah Dunckley , Publishing Editor

Natalie Ford , Publishing Assistant

Journal specific guidelines

The intended emphasis is on the process of learning, not on the content. Contributions describing alternative ways of presenting chemical information to students (including the description of new demonstrations or laboratory experiments or computer simulations or animations) are unlikely to be considered for publication. All contributions should be written in clear and concise English. Technical language should be kept to the absolute minimum required by accuracy. Authors are urged to pay particular attention to the way references are cited both in the text and in the bibliography.

The journal has three objectives.

First  to provide researchers a means to publish high quality, fully peer reviewed, educational research reports in the special domain of chemistry education. The studies reported should have all features of scholarship in chemistry education, that is they must be:

• original and previously unpublished
• theory based
• supported by empirical data
• of generalisable character.

The last requirement means that the studies should have an interest for and an impact on the global practice of chemistry, and not be simply of a regional character. Contributions must include a review of the research literature relevant to the topic, and state clearly the way(s) the study contributes to our knowledge base. Last but not least, they should conclude with implications for other research and/or the practice of chemistry teaching.

Second   to offer practitioners (teachers of chemistry at all levels) a place where they can share effective ideas and methods for the teaching and learning of chemistry and issues related to these, including assessment.

The emphasis is on effectiveness, the demonstration that the approach described is successful, possibly more so than the alternatives. Contributions are particularly welcome if the subject matter can be applied widely and is concerned with encouraging active, independent or cooperative learning.

Of special interest are methods that increase student motivation for learning, and those that help them to become effective exploiters of their chemical knowledge and understanding. It is highly desirable that such contributions should be demonstrably based, wherever possible, on established educational theory and results.

Third  to help to bridge the gap between educational researchers and practitioners by providing a single platform where both groups can publish high-quality papers with the realistic hope that researchers will find their results seen by those who could benefit from using them.

Also, practitioners will gain from encountering the ideas and results of those who have made a particular study of the learning process in finding better ways to improve their teaching and the learning experience of their students.  

Articles should be submitted using ScholarOne , the Royal Society of Chemistry's article review and submission system. A printed copy of the manuscript will not be required. Your submission will be acknowledged as soon as possible. 

Exceptions to normal Royal Society of Chemistry policy

Submissions to Chemistry Education Research and Practice do not require a table of contents entry. Submissions to the journal should use Harvard referencing.

Citations in the text should therefore be made by use of the surname of the author(s) and the year of the publication, at the appropriate place. Note that with one or two authors the name(s) are given, while if the source has three or more authors, it is cited with the first named author as 'Author et al. '

When more than one source is cited in the text, they should be listed in chronological and then alphabetical order for example, '(Jones, 2001; Smith, 2001; Adams, 2006)'. The references themselves are given at the end of the final printed text, in alphabetical and, if the same author is cited more than once, chronological order. An example of a journal article reference as it would be presented is Taber K. S., (2015), Advancing chemistry education as a field, Chem. Educ. Res. Pract. , 16 (1), 6–8.

Article types

Chemistry Education Research and Practice  publishes:

Perspectives

Review articles.

Perspectives are short readable articles covering current areas of interest. They may take the form of personal accounts of research or a critical analysis of activity in a specialist area. By their nature, they will not be comprehensive reviews of a field of chemistry. Since the readership of Chemistry Education Research and Practice is wide-ranging, the article should be easily comprehensible to a non-specialist in the field, whilst at the same time providing an authoritative discussion of the area concerned.

We welcome submissions of Perspective articles that:

• Communicate new challenges or visions for teaching chemistry framed in current chemistry education research or theories with evidence to support claims.
• Propose frameworks (theoretical, conceptual, curricular), models, pedagogies or practices informed by personal expertise and supported by research outcomes (either the author’s own research or the wider body of education research).
• Argue theoretical stances accompanied by recommendations for how these can be applied in teaching practice or measured in student conceptualisation of knowledge, with examples.

For more information on Perspective articles please see our 2022 Editorial (DOI: 10.1039/D2RP90006H )

These are normally invited by the Editorial Board and editorial office, although suggestions from readers for topics and authors of reviews are welcome.

Reviews must be high-quality, authoritative, state-of-the-art accounts of the selected research field. They should be timely and add to the existing literature, rather than duplicate existing articles, and should be of general interest to the journal's wide readership.

All Reviews and Perspectives undergo rigorous peer review, in the same way as regular research papers.

Review articles published in Chemistry Education Research and Practice include narrative, integrative or systematic reviews and meta-analyses and should align with the goals and scope of the journal.

Thought experiments outlining a theoretical position or personal opinion without including a literature basis, pedagogical recommendations or evidence of implementation are not considered in the journal.

For more information on preparing a review-style article please see our 2021 Editorial (DOI: 10.1039/D1RP90006D )

Full papers contain original scientific work that has not been published previously.

Comments and Replies are a medium for the discussion and exchange of scientific opinions between authors and readers concerning material published in Chemistry Education Research and Practice. 

For publication, a Comment should present an alternative analysis of and/or new insight into the previously published material. Any Reply should further the discussion presented in the original article and the Comment. Comments and Replies that contain any form of personal attack are not suitable for publication. 

Comments that are acceptable for publication will be forwarded to the authors of the work being discussed, and these authors will be given the opportunity to submit a Reply. The Comment and Reply will both be subject to rigorous peer review in consultation with the journal’s Editorial Board where appropriate. The Comment and Reply will be published together.

Readership information

Chemical education researchers and teachers of chemistry in universities and schools

Subscription information

Chemistry Education Research and Practice is free to access thanks to sponsorship by the Royal Society of Chemistry's Education Division

Online only : ISSN 1756-1108

*2023 Journal Citation Reports (Clarivate Analytics, 2024)

**The median time from submission to first decision including manuscripts rejected without peer review from the previous calendar year

***The median time from submission to first decision for peer-reviewed manuscripts from the previous calendar year

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Chemical education articles within Nature Chemistry

Comment | 24 July 2023

Implications of a critical realism approach to chemistry research and education

Critical realism distinguishes the ‘real’ world from the ‘observable’ one, which scientists explore as actors rather than as passive, neutral observers. Through this lens, it is clear that a diverse community that interrogates the world from different angles is an asset to the practice of chemistry itself.

• Margaret A. L. Blackie

Comment | 17 July 2023

Critical race theory and its relevance for chemistry

Critical race theory — an academic framework that serves to understand systemic racism in the USA and beyond — can help inform endeavours to advance justice and equity in the chemistry community.

• Terrell R. Morton

Q&A | 20 February 2023

A community that educates itself

Matthew Horwitz, creator of the Synthesis Workshop video podcast, talks to Nature Chemistry about using podcasting as a driver of professional-level education in the chemistry community.

• Katherine Geogheghan

News & Views | 15 June 2021

Bite-size science

• Stuart Cantrill

Thesis | 25 August 2020

Practical science at home in a pandemic world

There are plenty of online resources to ensure that learning can continue for students who cannot access universities during a pandemic, but what options are there for practical aspects of science courses? Daren J. Caruana, Christoph G. Salzmann and Andrea Sella offer a manifesto for home-based experiments.

• Daren J. Caruana
• , Christoph G. Salzmann
•  &  Andrea Sella

Thesis | 17 June 2020

The invisible college

Michelle Francl worries about the long-term effects of playing by pandemic rules.

• Michelle Francl

Editorial | 20 December 2019

Safety matters

Two Q&As in this issue consider aspects of chemical safety in industry and academia. And when it comes to the latter, a Review Article concludes that much more research is required to better understand — and improve — safety in academic laboratories.

Q&A | 20 December 2019

Health and safety in industry labs

Dave Laffan, a Director in Chemical Development at AstraZeneca, talks to Nature Chemistry about safety in industry labs and his role on the Safety, Health and Environment committee.

Motivations for developing safer chemistry

Marc Reid, a researcher at the University of Strathclyde and co-founder of Pre-Site Safety, talks to Nature Chemistry about safety, both as an academic scientist and as a director of a safety-focused company.

Review Article | 18 November 2019

A review and critique of academic lab safety research

Despite the regular occurrence of high-profile accidents leading to serious injuries or deaths among lab personnel, the state of academic lab safety research has languished. Existing studies in this area are summarized and critiqued in this Review and suggestions are made for future research directions.

• A. Dana Ménard
•  &  John F. Trant

Thesis | 23 January 2018

Introducing organic

As another semester of organic chemistry comes to a close, Bruce Gibb looks back on what he has learned about learning.

Commentary | 20 December 2016

Bridging the gaps in 18 F PET tracer development

As compared to the drug discovery process, the development of new 18 F PET tracers lacks a well-established pipeline that advances compounds from academic research to candidacy for (pre)clinical imaging. In order to bridge the gaps between methodological advances and clinical success, we must rethink the development process from training to implementation.

• Michael G. Campbell
• , Joel Mercier
•  &  Tobias Ritter

Commentary | 19 December 2016

Teaching science through video games

Imagine a class without lessons, tests and homework, but with missions, quests and teamwork. Video games offer an attractive educational platform because they are designed to be fun and engaging, as opposed to traditional approaches to teaching through lectures and assignments.

• Ronald A. Smaldone
• , Christina M. Thompson
•  &  Walter Voit

Thesis | 21 June 2016

Strangers to fiction

Michelle Francl wonders if more chemists should be reading science fiction on the job.

Editorial | 24 May 2016

Coordinating chemists for global development

Chemistry research and education face challenges anywhere in the world, but more so in less developed — or less stable — economies. These countries and their more economically fortunate neighbours can all contribute to the development of chemistry and its ability to tackle local and global issues.

Interview | 24 May 2016

A lab in Argentina

Mauricio Erben, a researcher at the National University of La Plata and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council, talks to Nature Chemistry about his experience of research in Argentina, and how it is inherently linked to the country's political climate.

• Anne Pichon

Commentary | 24 May 2016

Challenges and opportunities for chemistry in Africa

Chemistry education and research in Africa is challenging — a fact that is clearly reflected by publication metrics. Yet this is far from the full story on a continent that has youth on its side, a cultural link to chemistry through its strong interest in plants and indigenous medicine, and an increasing number of ways forward.

• Berhanu Abegaz

Commentary | 22 April 2016

One-world chemistry and systems thinking

The practice and overarching mission of chemistry need a major overhaul in order to be fit for purpose in the twenty-first century and beyond. The concept of 'one-world' chemistry takes a systems approach that brings together many factors, including ethics and sustainability, that are critical to the future role of chemistry.

• Stephen A. Matlin
• , Goverdhan Mehta
•  &  Alain Krief

Thesis | 17 December 2015

Through the eyes of a chemist

Michelle Francl explores the concepts that could help non-chemists see the world more like those trained in the subject.

Blogroll | 23 July 2015

Blogroll: Chemistry education

• Michael Seery

Blogroll | 20 November 2014

Blogroll: Moving on up

• Jessica Frey

Thesis | 20 June 2014

The write stuff

Michelle Francl suggests that students should be trained to write in a fashion similar to how they are taught the principles and practice of NMR spectroscopy — by providing them with a limited set of patterns and parameters.

Thesis | 23 January 2014

The bean counters are coming!

Bruce Gibb laments the bloated administrations that are damaging universities.

• Bruce C. Gibb

Thesis | 23 September 2013

Bouquets, whiffs and pongs

When it comes to practical chemistry demonstrations designed to provoke the senses, Bruce Gibb suggests that we should follow our noses rather than it all being about bangs and flashes.

Thesis | 22 August 2013

Take a number

Back-of-the-envelope calculations are an important part of chemistry argues Michelle Francl .

Thesis | 22 May 2013

How to counteract chemophobia

Michelle Francl ponders ways in which we can talk about chemistry without triggering chemophobia.

Books & Arts | 23 April 2013

Teaching chemistry through history

• Adam M. Azman

Blogroll | 23 September 2010

Blogroll: Advice for all

Blogroll | 01 September 2010

Blogroll: Got your number

Thesis | 01 January 2010

Life is the variety of spice

Bruce C. Gibb wonders why curry is not part of the chemistry curriculum.

Browse broader subjects

Quick links.

• Explore articles by subject
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Welcome to Chemical Education Xchange

Welcome-chemical-education-xchange.png.

Welcome to the Chemical Education Xchange (ChemEd X)! We hope to strengthen the community of chemistry educators by providing learning resources and forums for discussion and collaboration on our interactive platform. Take a look, and join in.

APTeach - Building a Test to Support AP Success

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Join APTeach to discuss assessment strategies that will improve your students' performance on the AP Chemistry exam. REGISTER NOW for the July 18th APTeach Session!

The Chemistry of Water Reveal Coloring Books

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How do Melissa & Doug’s “Water WOW!” Water Reveal coloring books work? Let's do some experiments to find out!

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A question set about an effervescent antacid formulation unpacks what is occurring both qualitatively and quantitatively. The student will review and apply formulas, balanced equations, percentage elemental compositions, mass-mass calculations, mole-mole calculations, theoretical yield, and limiting reagent.

Using LEGO bricks and paper springs to illustrate helical chemical structures

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Helical structures can be built from media such as LEGO bricks and paper. These structures can be used to model helical structures in chemistry. These include circularly polarized light and various helical biomolecules.

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A simple shift in wording can help boost student engagement and understanding. 

Amount and rate of heat transfer using iron spheres and liquid nitrogen

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When iron spheres at room temperature are added to liquid nitrogen, the nitrogen boils as heat is transferred in from the iron. The amount of liquid nitrogen boiled depends on the amount of heat transferred, which depends on the mass of the iron added. However, the rate at which liquid nitrogen boils depends on the surface area of the iron in contact with the liquid nitrogen. These phenomena can be studied with experiments which measure the mass lost by the boiling liquid nitrogen.

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Discover how a simple brain break activity, involving water balloon tosses, creatively reinforces the principles of Brønsted-Lowry acids and bases, making chemistry engaging and accessible for students. 

Chemistry Topics

Popular today.

Overview of Chemical Education Research (CER)

As identified by the nrc report on discipline-based education research (nrc, 2012), “the goals of dber are to:.

• understand how people learn the concepts, practices, and ways of thinking of science and engineering;
• understand the nature and development of expertise in a discipline;
• help identify and measure appropriate learning objectives and instructional approaches that advance students toward those objectives;
• contribute to the knowledge base in a way that can guide the translation of DBER findings to classroom practice; and
• identify approaches to make science and engineering education broad and inclusive.”

Chemistry education research (CER)-specific area of Discipline-based education research (DBER).

A brief history of the development of chemistry education research as a discipline can be found in the NRC report (NRC, 2012) and a white paper by George Bodner (Bodner, 2011). The first doctoral programs in chemistry departments that awarded Ph.D. degrees for CER arose in the 1990s at the University of Oklahoma, the University of Northern Colorado, and Purdue University. The first Ph.D. in CER was awarded in 1993, with the first postdoctoral appointment in 1994. The Chemistry Education Research Committee itself was established by the ACS Division of Chemical Education in 1994.

The definition of what constitutes chemistry education research was addressed in several articles in the  Journal of Chemical Education . Patricia Metz (Metz, 1994) provided an overview of “What is Chemistry Education Research?” in a special issue of the journal dedicated to research in chemical education. Later that same year, the report of an ACS Division of Chemical Education Taskforce was published (Bunce et al., 1994). This Task Force on Chemical Education Research was appointed with the task of drafting a document that defined chemistry education research. A further description was published a few years later when the CER feature was added to  JCE  (Bunce & Robinson, 1997). Part of the mission statement for the feature provided guidelines for the content in submissions.

This feature aims to provide reliable and valid reports of chemical education research that address how students learn, the factors affecting learning, and the methods for evaluating that learning. The results reported should be understandable to practicing chemistry teachers and directly applicable to the teaching/learning process. … the research must be theory based; the questions asked should relevant to chemical educators and able to be tested through the experimental design proposed; the data collected must be verifiable; and the results must be generalizable.

The issue of what constitutes quality work in CER has been addressed more recently by Taber (Taber, 2012). Additionally, resources such as the book the  Nuts and Bolts of Chemical Education Research  (Bunce & Cole, 2007) are now available to provide guidance to individuals wishing to learn more about conducting research in chemistry education.

The roots of CER can be found in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) and the desire to improve classroom practice. The  Journal of Chemical Education was established in 1924 to serve as a living textbook and a means to disseminate best practices for teaching chemistry, while the Chemical Education Research Feature did not appear until 1997. The scholarship of teaching and learning emphasizes reflective practice and the use of classroom-based evidence to inform teaching. The boundaries between SoTL and CER are blurry, but a paper by Bob Beichner (Beichner, 2009) in physics education research (PER) provides an informative description that should also serve to inform the CER community of the difference between physics education research and curriculum development or SoTL projects. Keith Taber, the current editor of  Chemistry Education Research and Practice , wrote an editorial in which he describes his perspective of the breath of the field ranging from SoTL to CER (Taber, 2012). This transition from practice to CER is also reflected in the history of the Gordon Research Conference in chemical education (Towns, 2010). It began in 1994 with the title “Innovations in College Chemistry Teaching” with a focus on the perspectives and challenges of teaching undergraduate chemistry courses. Over time, the conference evolved to include more presentations on research-based approaches. The name was changed in 2002 to “Chemistry Education Research and Practice” in order to reflect the changing nature of the conference.

There have been several reviews of the work that has been done in CER, including the challenges and implications of that work (Herron & Nurrenbern, 1999; Gilbert et al., 2004; Bodner, 2011; Towns & Kraft, 2011). In their 2004 article, Gilbert et al. summarize the status of chemistry education research at that time and identify 6 types of chemistry education research. They also explore reasons for the lack of impact of CER on the practice of teaching chemistry.

Challenges related to hiring and promotion for academic positions in chemistry education research have been described in a report of the Task Force on Hiring and Promotion in Chemical Education appointed by the ACS Division of Chemical Education (Oliver-Hoyo et al., 2008). The goal of the task force was to provide guidance for departments seeking to hire faculty in the area of chemical education and for individuals wishing to establish academic careers in chemical education. One of the challenges identified in obtaining tenure in CER has been related to departmental expectations related to publications. This led to articles that describe the rate of publication in CER compared to more traditional areas of chemistry education research (Pienta, 2004; Craig et al., 2012) as well as one that discussion impact factors and perceptions of the community as to what constitutes top tier journals for publishing work in CER (Towns & Kraft, 2012).

Bodner, G. (2011).  Status ,  contributions ,  and future directions of discipline based education research: The development of research in chemical education as a field of study . Paperpresented at the Second Committee Meeting on the Status, Contributions, and FutureDirections of Discipline-Based Education Research.  http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/DBER_Bodner_October_Paper.pdf .

Bunce, D.; Gabel, D.; Herron, J.D.; and Jones, L. “Report of the Task Force on Chemical Education Research of the American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education,” JCE, 1994, 71(10), p 850

Bunce, D.M. and Robinson, W.R. “Research in chemical education – the third brand of our profession,” JCE, 1997, 74(9), p1076

Nuts and Bolts of Chemical Education Research  (ACS Symposium Series), Editors: Diane M. Bunce and Renee S. Cole, Oxford University Press, 2007.

Craig, A.F.; Koch, D.L.; Buffington, A.; and Grove, N. “Narrowing the Gap? Revisiting Publication Rates in chemistry Education” JCE (Articles ASAP)

Gilbert, J.K.; Justi, R.; Van Driel, J.H.; de Jong, O.; and Treagust, D.F., “Securing a future for chemical education,” CERP, 2004, 5, 5-14

Herron, J.D. and Nurrenbern, S.C., “Chemical Education Research: Improving chemistry learning,” JCE, 1999, 76(10), p. 1353

Metz, P.A., “Introduction to the Symposium,” JCE, 1994, 71(3), p 180

(NRC 2012) Committee on the Status, Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research; Board on Science Education; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; National Research Council (2012). Discipline-Based Education Research: Understanding and Improving Learning in Undergraduate Science and Engineering, The National Academies Press.  http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=13362

Oliver-Hoyo, M.T.; Jones, J.L.; Kelter, P.B.; Bauer, C. F.; Clevenger, J.V.; Cole, R.S.; and Sawrey, B.A., “Hiring and Promotion in Chemical Education,” JCE, 2008, 85(7), 898.

Pienta, N.J. “Measuring Productivity in College-level chemistry education scholarship” JCE, 2004, 81(4), p 579-583.

Taber, K.S., “Recognizing quality in reports of chemistry education research and practice,” CERP, 2012, 13, 4-7.

Taber, K.S. “The nature and scope of chemistry education as a field,” CERP, 2012, 13, 159-160

Towns, Marcy “A Brief History of the Gordon Research Conference in Chemistry Education Research and Practice” JCE 2010, 87(11), 1133-1134.

Towns, M., and Kraft, A. (2011).  Review and synthesis of research in chemical education from 2000-2010 . Paper presented at the Second Committee Meeting on the Status,Contributions, and Future Directions of Discipline-Based Education Research.  http://www7.nationalacademies.org/bose/DBER_Towns_October_Paper.pdf .

Towns, M.H. & Kraft, A. “The 2010 rankings of chemical education and science education journals by faculty engaged in chemical education research” JCE, 2012, 89(1), pp 16-20.

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Jennifer L. Cole Honored for Service to Chemical Engineering Education

Cole directs nceer and was cited for her dedication to enhancing engineering education.

Northwestern Engineering’s Jennifer L. Cole has been selected as the 2024 recipient of the Award for Service to Chemical Engineering Education, presented by the education division of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE). 

Cole will formally be presented the honor in October in San Diego. She was cited for “dedicating her career to enhancing equity in engineering education, innovating teaching strategies, and prioritizing mentorship for students and faculty in Northwestern, AIChE, and the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).”

An associate professor of instruction in the McCormick School of Engineering’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Cole has worked to re-contextualize engineering examples and homework problems where technical details in textbooks are often divorced from their societal impacts. Working with undergraduate and graduate students, Cole crafted a workshop for Northwestern faculty on how to add anti-racism, diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice into course content. This workshop was also held nationally at the 2022 AIChE Summer School for new chemical engineering faculty.

Cole also directs the Northwestern Center for Engineering Education Research (NCEER). Launched in 2007, NCEER is the umbrella organization for engineering education research at Northwestern University. Primarily focused on faculty development, NCEER's mission is to spark engineering education within Northwestern and beyond. NCEER offers faculty the opportunity to learn about and share pedagogical innovations and evidence-based classroom practice, as well as to mentor faculty newly interested in pursuing engineering education research.

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Information on global nuclear, chemical, and missile facilities, based on the most credible available open-source material. Prepared for NTI.org by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies.

Global Nuclear, Chemical, and Missile Facilities

Facilities relevant to WMD and missile facilities of key countries around the world. Since definitive information is often classified, the descriptions and mapped locations of these facilities are sometimes speculative, based on the most credible available open-source material.

Category Category Nuclear Missile Chemical

Scientific Studies and Research Center (Chemical)

• Location Damascus
• Type Chemical-Research and Development
• Facility Status Operational

Parchin Military Complex (Nuclear)

• Location Tehran
• Type Nuclear-Weaponization

Tehran Research Reactor (TRR)

• Location Tehran Nuclear Research Center
• Type Nuclear-Research Reactors

Pilot Fuel Enrichment Plant (PFEP)

• Location Natanz Enrichment Plant
• Type Nuclear-Enrichment

Natanz Enrichment Complex

• Location Natanz, Iran

Zirconium Production Plant (ZPP)

• Location Isfahan (Esfahan)
• Type Nuclear-Fuel Fabrication

Imam Hussein University (IHU)

• Type Nuclear-Education and Training
• Facility Status Open

Isfahan (Esfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (INTC)

• Location University of Isfahan
• Type Nuclear-Research and Development

Isfahan (Esfahan) Nuclear Fuel Research and Production Center (NFRPC)

• Location Reshandasht, south east of Isfahan (Esfahan)

Fuel Fabrication Laboratory (FFL)

Bushehr nuclear power plant (bnpp).

• Location Halileh, 12km south of Bushehr
• Type Nuclear-Power Reactors
• Facility Status 1 reactor operational, 2 new reactors planned

Fuel Enrichment Plant (FEP)

• Facility Status Partially operational

Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant

• Location Qom, Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Base
• Facility Status Operational as nuclear, physics and technology center under IAEA safeguards

Bandar Abbas Uranium Production Plant (BUP)

• Location Bandar Abbas
• Type Nuclear-Mining and Milling
• Facility Status Non-Operational

Amirkabir University of Technology

Arak nuclear complex.

• Location Arak, Iran
• Facility Status Ongoing redesign to meet JCPOA and IAEA requirements

Ardakan Yellowcake Production Plant

• Location Ardakan

Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI)

• Type Nuclear-Regulatory

Punggye-ri Nuclear Test Facility

• Location Punggye-ri (풍계리), Gilju-gun (길주군), North Hamgyeong Province (함경북도), North Korea
• Type Nuclear-Test Site
• Facility Status Partially Dismantled, but Resumed Construction

Kim Il Sung University

• Location Ryongnam-dong (룡남동), Daesong-kuyok (대성구역), Pyongyang (평양시), North Korea

Sohae Satellite Launching Station

• Location Dongchang-dong (동창동), Cheolsan-gun (철산군), Pyonganbuk-do (평안북도), North Korea
• Type Missile-Base

Tonghae Satellite Launching Ground

• Location Musudan-ri (무수단리), Hwadae-kun (화대군), North Hamgyong Province (함경북도), North Korea
• Facility Status Operational; second launch pad under construction

Hamheung University of Chemical Industry

• Location Segori-dong (세거리동), Hamhung (함흥시), Hamgyongnam-do (함경남도), North Korea

Yŏngjŏ-ri Missile Base

• Location Between Kungmangbong (국망봉) and Mujungbong (무중봉), Yŏngjŏ-ri (영저리), Kimhyŏngjik-kun (김형직군), Yanggang Province (양강도), North Korea, about 20km from the Chinese border [Note: “Yŏngjŏ-ri” is often misidentified as “Yŏngjŏ-dong (영저동)” but the actual administrative unit is a “ri (리).”]

Sangnam-ri Missile Base

• Location Sangnam-ri (상남리), Hŏch'ŏn-kun (호천군), South Hamgyŏng Province (함경남도), North KoreaPrimary Function: Deployment and launch of missiles, possibly Nodong and/or TaepodongSubordinate to: Missile Division (미사일 사단), Ministry of the People's Armed Forces (인민무력성), National Defense Commission (국방위원회)
• Facility Status Unknown

Kumcheon Scud Missile Base

• Location Kŭmch'ŏn-ri (금천리), Anbyŏn-kun (안변군), Kangwŏn Province (강원도), North Korea

Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI)

• Location Topi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
• Type Missile-Education and Training

Sonmiani Flight Test Range (FTR)

• Location 50km W Karachi [1]
• Type Missile-Testing
• Facility Status Active

Defense Science and Technology Organization (DESTO)

• Location Chaklala Cantt, Rawalpindi
• Type Missile-Production

Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF)

• Location Wah Cantt

Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO)

• Location Headquartered in Karachi; additional facilities in Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, and Peshawar [1]

Air Weapons Complex (AWC)

• Location Kamra, Wah Cantonment

Karachi Institute of Power Engineering (KINPOE)

• Location Approximately 25km west of Karachi

Rafael Advanced Defense Systems

• Location Haifa; Yodefat
• Type Missile-Research and Development

Rafael/Yodefat

• Location Yodefat

Israel Atomic Energy Commission

• Location Dimona (Negev Desert) and Yavne

Soreq Nuclear Research Center

• Location Yavne

Shahroud Missile Test Site

• Location Shahroud, Tehran province

Imam Ali Missile Base

• Location Khorramabad, Lorestan
• Type Missile-Missile Bases

Fajr Industrial Group

Shahid bakeri industrial group, parchin military complex (missile).

• Location Parchin

Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics (MODAFL)

• Type Missile-Regulatory

Bandar Abbas

• Location Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan

Bakhtaran Missile Base

• Location Kermanshah

Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO)

Defense industries organization (dio) (missile), vehicles research & development establishment.

• Location Ahmednagar, Maharashtra

Laser Science and Technology Centre

• Location Delhi
• Facility Status Inactive

Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (Midhani)

• Location Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh

IBP Company Limited

• Location Nashik, Maharashtra

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited

• Location Bangalore, Karnataka

Defence Electronics Applications Lab

• Location Dehradun, Uttarakhand

Defence Terrain Research Laboratory

• Location New Delhi
• Type Nuclear-Exploration and Mining

Bharat Electronics Limited

Armament research and development establishment (arde).

• Location Pune, Pashan (Maharashtra)

Bharat Dynamics Limited

Bharat earth movers limited.

• Location Southeast of Tel Nof Air Base
• Type Nuclear-Storage

Tel Nof Airbase

• Location Approximately 18km west of Ashdod

Ministry of Defense

• Location Tel Aviv

IMI Systems

• Location Ramat Hasharon (headquarters)

Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd.

• Location Ben Gurion International Airport
• Location Approximately 8km east of Hadera

Al-Safir Missile Base

• Location 301km north of Damascus and approximately 30km southeast of Aleppo in the province of Halab

Der Al-Hadjar Nuclear Research Center

• Location 140km north of Damascus

Al-Kibar (Nuclear)

• Location Dayr Az Zawr region, 140 km from Iraqi border, 10 km north of At Tibnah
• Facility Status Alleged reactor destroyed
• Location 6 km Northeast of Masyaf
• Type Chemical

Marj as-Sultan Uranium Conversion Facility

• Location Marj as-Sultan, 15km east of Damascus
• Type Nuclear-Conversion

Iskandariyah

• Location North of Hama

A.A. Bochvar High-Technology Scientific Research Institute for Inorganic Materials (VNIINM)

• Location Moscow
• Type Nuclear-Waste Management

AtomRedMetZoloto (ARMZ Uranium Holding)

Novosibirsk chemical concentrates plant (nccp).

• Location Novosibirsk, Novosibirsk Oblast

Siberian Chemical Combine (SKhK)

• Location Seversk, Tomsk Oblast

Imam Khomeini Space Center

• Location Semnan, Iran

Plesetsk Cosmodrome

• Location Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russian Federation

Mining and Chemical Combine (GKhK)

• Location Zheleznogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai

Mayak Production Association

• Location Ozersk, Chelyabinsk Oblast

N.A. Dollezhal Scientific Research and Design Institute of Energy Technologies (NIKIET)

Machine-building plant (elemash).

• Location Elektrostal, Moscow Oblast

National Operator for Radioactive Waste Management (NO RAO)

National research center kurchatov institute.

• Location Kurchatov, Kursk Oblast

Moscow Engineering and Physics Institute (MIFI or MEPhI)

• Location Moscow, Russia

I.I. Leypunsky Institute of Physics and Power Engineering (IPPE)

• Location Obninsk, Kaluga Oblast
• Type Nuclear-Power Reactor

Rosenergoatom

State atomic energy cooperation rosatom, urals electrochemical combine (uekhk).

• Location Novouralsk, Sverdlovsk Oblast

Urals Elektromechanical Plant (UEMZ)

• Location Yekaterinburg, Sverdlovsk Oblast

Start Production Association (PO Start)

• Location Zarechny, Penza Oblast

Sever Production Association (PO Sever)

Troitskii institute of innovative and thermonuclear research (triniti).

• Location Troitsk, federal city of Moscow

Scientific Research Institute for Instruments (NIIP) (Lytkarino)

• Location Moscow Lytkarino, Moscow Oblast

Zababakhin All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Technical Physics (VNIITF)

• Location Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast

All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Experimental Physics (VNIIEF) (Nuclear)

• Location Sarov, Nizhniy Novgorod Oblast

All-Russian Scientific Institute of Measuring Systems (NIIIS)

All-russian scientific research institute for experimental physics (vniief) (missile), akademik lomonosov.

• Location Pevek, Chukotka
• Facility Status Construction completed in 2019

Saghand Uranium Mine

• Location Northeast of Yazd province in central Iran desert, Kavir

Tehran Nuclear Research Center (TNRC)

Lashkar ab’ad.

• Location Hashtgerd
• Facility Status Possibly operational

Uranium Conversion Facility (UCF)

• Facility Status Operational; undergoing maintenance since summer 2009

Instrumentation Factory (PSZ)

• Location Tryokhgorny, Chelyabinsk Oblast

Elektrokhimpribor Combine

• Location Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk Oblast
• Location Saratov, Saratov Oblast

All-Russia Research Institute of Automatics (VNIIA)

Central test site of russia on novaya zemlya.

• Location Novaya Zemlya District, Arkhangelsk Oblast

B.P. Konstantinov St. Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute (IPPN or PNPI)

• Location Gatchina, Leningrad Oblast

A.P. Aleksandrov Scientific Research Technological Institute (NITI)

• Location Sosnovyy Bor, Leningrad Oblast

A.I. Alikhanov Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Physics (ITEP)

• Type Nuclear-Heavy Water Production

Fuel Company of Rosatom (TVEL)

Federal service for environmental, technological, and nuclear oversight (rostekhnadzor), joint institute for nuclear research (jinr).

• Location Dubna, Moscow Oblast

Afrikantov Experimental Design Bureau for Mechanical Engineering (OKBM)

• Location Nizhny Novgorod, Nizhny Novgorod Oblast

Chepetsky Mechanical Plant (ChMZ)

• Location Glazov, Udmurt Republic

Electrochemical Plant (EKhZ) Production Association

• Location Zelenogorsk, Krasnoyarsk Krai

Yongbyon High-Explosive Test Site

• Location Near the banks of the Kuryong River (구룡강), Bungang-jigu (분강지구), Yongbyon-gun (영변군), North Pyeongan Province (평안북도), North Korea
• Facility Status Probably unused since the 1990s

Yongdeok-dong High-Explosive Test Site

• Location Yongdeok-dong (용덕동), Guseong (구성), North Pyeongan Province (평안북도), North Korea*

MGC-20 Cyclotron

• Location Sosan-dong (서산동), Sosong-guyok (서성구역), Pyongyang (평양시), Pyongyang, North Korea*

Taecheon 200MWe Nuclear Reactor

• Location Taecheon-gun (태천군), Pyeonganbuk-do (평안북도), North Korea
• Facility Status unfinished, abandoned

Yongbyon Nuclear Research Center

• Location Pungang-jigu (분강지구), Yongbyon-gun (영변군), Pyonganbuk-do (평안북도), North Korea*
• Type Nuclear-Reprocessing

Atomic Energy Research Institute

• Location Bungang-jigu (분강지구), Yongbyon-gun (영변군), Pyonganbuk-do (평안북도), North Korea

Geumho-Jigu Light Water Reactor Site

• Location Geumho-Jigu (금호지구), Sinpo (신포시), Hamgyeongnam-do (함경남도), North Korea
• Facility Status Unfinished, construction stopped

Geumchang-ri Underground Facility

• Location Geumchang-ri (금창리), Taegwan-gun (대관군), North Pyeongan Province (평안북도), North Korea

Hagap Underground Suspected Nuclear Facility

• Location Area around Gaphyundong (갑현동), Huicheon (희천시), Jagang Province (자강도), North Korea. Note: Hagap (하갑), Nammyeon (남면), Huicheon-gun (희천군), North Pyeongan Province is an old administrative name for Gaphyeondong. In 1949, Huicheon-gun became part of Jagang Province, which was formed from part of North Pyeongan Province. Huicheon is now a city.

Mashhood Test Firing Range (MTFR)

• Location Tilla Jogian (25km west of Jhelum)

Khan Research Laboratories (KRL)

• Location Rawalpindi

National Defense Complex (NDC)

• Location Fatehjang, Tarwanah suburb, Rawalpindi (50km, SW Islamabad)

National Engineering and Scientific Commission (NESCOM)

• Location Islamabad

Strategic Plans Division (SPD)

• Location Islamabad, Pakistan

National Command Authority (NCA)

• Facility Status Active [3]

National Security Council of Pakistan (NSC)

Pakistan atomic energy commission (paec), kundian nuclear complex-1 (knc-1).

• Location Kundian, NW region of Punjab Province; Approximately 200km SW of Islamabad

Institute for Studies in Theoretical Physics and Mathematics (IPM)

Yazd radiation processing center (yrpc).

• Location Yazd

Light Water Sub-Critical Reactor (ENTC-LWSCR)

• Location Esfahan (Isfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (INTC)

Heavy Water Zero Power Reactor (ENTC-HWZPR)

• Location Esfahan (Isfahan) Nuclear Technology Center (ENTC)

Graphite Sub-Critical Reactor (ENTC GSCR)

Bonab atomic energy research center.

• Location Bonab

Qom Waste Disposal Site

• Location Qom

Anarak Waste Storage Facility

• Location Anarak

Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR)

• Location Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center

Heavy Water Production Plant (HWPP)

• Location Khondab, near Arak
• Facility Status Probably Operating

Defense Industries Organization (DIO) (Nuclear)

Tabriz missile base.

• Location Tabriz

Isfahan Missile Complex

• Location Isfahan

Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group

Shiraz missile plant.

• Location Shiraz, Fars

Semnan Missile Complex

• Location Semnan

P’yŏngsan Uranium Milling Facility

• Location P'yŏnghwa-ri (평화리), P'yŏngsan-kun (평산군), North Hwanghae Province (황해북도), North Korea
• Type Nuclear-Milling

Pakch’ŏn Uranium Mine

• Location P'akch'ŏn-kun (박천군), North P'yŏng'an Province (평안북도), North Korea

Terminal Ballistics Research Laboratory

• Location Chandigarh, Punjab

Semiconductor Complex Limited (SCL)

Solid state physics laboratory, centre for environment and explosive safety, research & development establishment, engineering.

• Location Pune, Maharashtra

Institute of Armament Technology

High energy materials research laboratory, research center imarat, defence research and development laboratory, defence metallurgical research laboratory, vikram sarabhai space center.

• Location Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India

Defence Electronics Research Laboratory

Sriharikota high altitude range.

• Location Sriharikota Island, Andhra Pradesh

Combat Vehicles R&D Establishment

• Location Avadi, Tamil Nadu

Chiha-ri Missile Base

• Location Chiha-ri (지하리), P'an'gyo-kun (판교군), Kangwŏn Province (강원도), North Korea

No. Seven Factory

• Location Yongsŏng-kuyŏk (용성구역), Pyongyang (평양시), North Korea, about "a 20-30 minute bus ride from the Man'gyŏngdae Electric Machinery Factory"

Sŭngni Automobile Factory

• Location Tŏkch'ŏn (덕천군), South P'yŏng'an Province (평안남도)

Pukchung Machine Complex

• Location Pukchung-nodongjagu (북중노동자구), Yongch'ŏn-kun (용천군), North Pyŏng'an Province (평안북도)

Pyongyang Semiconductor Factory

• Location Taedonggang-dong (대동강동), Taedonggang-kuyŏk (대동강구역), Pyongyang

Kusŏng Machine Tool Factory

• Location Kusŏng (구성시), North P'yŏng'an Province (평안북도), North Korea

Kum Song Tractor Factory

• Location Nampo (남포시), North Korea

January 18th Machine Factory

• Location Kag'am-dong (각암동), Kaech'ŏn (개천시), South P'yŏng'an Province (평안남도), North Korea

No. 26 Factory

• Location Konggwi-dong (공귀동), Kanggye (강계시), Chagang Province (자강도), North Korea

No. 125 Factory

• Location Northwestern part of Pyongyang. There are conflicting reports on the location of this facility. Some reports place the factory in Chung'i-dong (중이동), Yongsŏng-kuyŏk (용성구역), Pyongyang, and others place it in Hyŏngjesan-kuyŏk (형제산구역), Pyongyang. Yongsŏng-kuyŏk and Hyŏngjesan-kuyŏk are adjacent to each other, and Chung'i-dong is right next to Hyŏngjesan-kuyŏk, which could be the cause for confusion. The South Korean Ministry of Unification reports that the factory is in "Chunggye-dong" (중계동), Hyŏngjesan-kuyŏk, Pyongyang, but apparently there is no "Chunggye-dong" in Hyŏngjesan-kuyŏk. There is a "Ch'ŏnggye-dong," which is nearby, but in Yongsŏng-kuyŏk.

Yongnim-ŭp Missile Base

• Location Yongnim-ŭp (용림읍), Yongnim-kun (용림군), Chagang Province (자강도), North Korea

Shin’o-ri Missile Base

• Location Shin'o-ri (신오리), Unjŏn-kun (운전군), North P'yŏng'an Province (평안북도), North KoreaPrimary Function: Deployment and launch of Nodong missiles

Sakkabbong Missile Base

• Location Sakkabbong (삿갓봉), Koksan-kun (곡산군), North Hwanghae Province (황해북도), North Korea

Okp’yŏng-dong Missile Base

• Location Okp'yŏng-dong (옥평동), Munch'ŏn (문천시), Kangwŏn Province (강원도), North Korea
• Missile
• Nuclear

Electronics and Radar Development Establishment

Electronics corporation of india limited, gas turbine research establishment, godrej and boyce manufacturing co. ltd., instrumentation limited, larsen and toubro, metallurgical and engineering consultants (india) ltd., microwave tube research and development centre, pantex gee bee fluid power ltd., s.k. machine tools private ltd., srijan control drives, the kcp limited, 929th state test flight center (taysoygan), baikonur cosmodrome, baykal-1 (baikal) research reactor complex, committee on atomic energy, institute of atomic energy (iae), institute of nuclear physics, joint stock company “biomedpreparat-engineering center”.

• Biological

Joint Venture Inkai (INKAY)

Kapustin yar, kaskor joint stock company, katko joint venture, m. aikimbayev kazakh scientific center of quarantine and zoonotic diseases (kscqzd), m. aikimbayev kazakh scientific center of quarantine and zoonotic diseases (kscqzd), mangyshlak atomic energy combine, mining directorate no. 6, national nuclear center (nnc), sary-shagan, scientific research institute for biological safety problems, semipalatinsk test site, spent fuel storage sites, stepnoye mining directorate, tsentralnoye mining directorate, ulba metallurgical plant, volkovgeologiya jsc, vozrozhdeniye open-air test site, zharys state holding company.

• Chemical

IGR Nuclear Reactor Complex

Al-kibar (missile), aleppo missile factory, atomic energy commission of syria (aecs), cyclotron facility, deposit no. 1182, deposit no. 1184, deposit no. 1188, electronics institute, hama missile base and production factory, higher institute of applied science and technology, homs missile factory, ion beam accelerator facility, ministry of petroleum and mineral resources of syria, national standards and calibration laboratory, non-destructive testing laboratory, nuclear analytical laboratory, nuclear electronics laboratory, nuclear training laboratory, phosphoric acid pilot plant, radioactive waste management division (rwmd), radiological and nuclear regulatory office (rnr), scientific studies and research center (missile), scientific studies and research center (nuclear).

Disclaimer: Map locations are approximations for illustrative purposes only. Precise positioning has been deliberately avoided. This map is intended for a broad geographic overview only. This material was produced independently for NTI by the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS).

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