Marcy Hamby Towns is an American chemist who is Professor of Chemistry Education at Purdue University. Her research considers the development of innovative ways to teach undergraduate chemistry. She was awarded the IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry Award in 2021.

Marcy Hamby Towns
Alma materPurdue University
Linfield University
Scientific career
InstitutionsPurdue University
Ball State University

Early life and education

edit

Towns is the daughter of a chemist.[1] She was an undergraduate student at Linfield University[2][3] and moved to Purdue University for graduate studies.[2] After completing college, she started teaching chemistry at Valley Catholic School,[4] where she became interested in chemistry education.

Research and career

edit

Towns joined the chemistry department at Ball State University in 1995.[citation needed] She taught chemistry in Indiana for twelve years, after which she returned to the faculty at Purdue University and developed a research program in chemistry education and evidence-based learning.[5] She is particularly interested in undergraduate chemistry teaching and laboratory assessment.[6]

Awards and honors

edit

Selected publications

edit
  • Lisa Corwin Auchincloss; Sandra L. Laursen; Janet L Branchaw; et al. (January 1, 2014). "Assessment of course-based undergraduate research experiences: a meeting report". CBE: Life Sciences Education. 13 (1): 29–40. doi:10.1187/CBE.14-01-0004. ISSN 1931-7913. PMC 3940459. PMID 24591501. Wikidata Q42426115.
  • Gauthier, Stephen (December 7, 2017). "Characterizing Chiral Molecules Deposited onto a Silicon Surface". Inquiry@Queen's Undergraduate Research Conference Proceedings. doi:10.24908/iqurcp.7950. ISSN 2563-8912.
  • Harle, Marissa; Towns, Marcy (November 29, 2010). "A Review of Spatial Ability Literature, Its Connection to Chemistry, and Implications for Instruction". Journal of Chemical Education. 88 (3): 351–360. doi:10.1021/ed900003n. ISSN 0021-9584.

References

edit
  1. ^ "Drannan and Bev Hamby". Linfield University. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Towns Group People". www.chem.purdue.edu. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  3. ^ "towns - Purdue University Department of Chemistry". www.chem.purdue.edu. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  4. ^ Raker, Jeffrey R. (August 9, 2022). "Introducing the Virtual Issue: Marcy H. Towns Festschrift". Journal of Chemical Education. 99 (8): 2775–2776. Bibcode:2022JChEd..99.2775R. doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00704. ISSN 0021-9584. S2CID 251192356.
  5. ^ a b Today, Purdue. "2021 Morrill Award winner announced". www.purdue.edu. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  6. ^ Seery, Michael (August 17, 2022). "A Festschrift in honour of Professor Marcy Hamby Towns". Michael Seery. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  7. ^ "AAAS Fellows" (PDF).
  8. ^ "Dedication to students brings Chem Prof. Marcy Towns a Murphy Award - College of Science - Purdue University". www.purdue.edu. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  9. ^ "Murphy Award winner: Marcy Towns - Purdue University". www.purdue.edu. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  10. ^ "James Flack Norris Award". Northeastern Section | American Chemical Society. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  11. ^ "Nyholm Prize for Education Previous winners". Royal Society of Chemistry. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  12. ^ "2020 Outstanding Service to the Division Awardee, Marcy Towns | ACS Division of Chemical Education". www.divched.org. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  13. ^ "IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering" (PDF).