John R Pollard

Interests

Research

Peer-peer interactions in teachingFraming concepts in general chemistryKnowledge chunking in general chemistryThe role metacognition plays in active learning

Teaching

General ChemistryInorganic ChemistryOrganic ChemistryPhysical ChemistryTeaching and Learning

Courses

Scholarly Contributions

Books

• Talanquer, V., & Pollard, J. R. (2015). Chemical Thinking Volume 2.
  More info

  This is part 2 of the Chemical Thinking ebook now distributed to all CHEM 152 and 105b students at the University of Arizona
• Pollard, J. R., & Talanquer, V. (2014). Chemical Thinking Volume 1.
  More info

  This is the first part of a 2 part volume of ebooks for CHEM 151 and 152 here at the University of Arizona.

Chapters

• Burd, G. D., Tomanek, D. J., Blowers, P., Bolger, M. S., Cox, J., Elfring, L. K., Grubbs, E. A., Hunter, J., Johns, K. A., Lazos, L., Lysecky, R. L., Milsom, J. A., Novodvorsky, I., Pollard, J. R., Prather, E. E., Talanquer, V. A., Thamvichai, R., Tharp, H. S., & Wallace, C. (2016). Developing faculty cultures for evidence-based teaching practices in STEM: A progress report.. In Transforming Institutions: 21st Century Undergraduate STEM. West Lafayette, IN.: Purdue University Press.
• Blowers, P., Burd, G. D., Bolger, M. S., Johns, K. A., Lazos, L., Lysecky, R. L., Milsom, J. A., Novodvorsky, I., Pollard, J. R., Prather, E. E., Talanquer, V. A., Thamvichai, R., Tharp, H. S., Wallace, C. S., Cox, J., Elfring, L., Grubbs, E., & Hunter, J. (2015). Developing Faculty Cultures for Evidence-Based Teaching Practices in STEM: A Progress Report. In Transforming Institutions, Undergraduate STEM Education for the 21st Century(pp 90-102). Indianapolis, IN: Purdue University Press,.
• Burd, G. D., Burd, G. D., Tomanek, D. J., Tomanek, D. J., Blowers, P., Blowers, P., Bolger, M. S., Bolger, M. S., Cox, J., Cox, J., Elfring, L. K., Elfring, L. K., Grubbs, E. A., Grubbs, E. A., Hunter, J., Hunter, J., Johns, K. A., Johns, K. A., Lazos, L., , Lazos, L., et al. (2015). Developing faculty cultures for evidence-based teaching practices in STEM: A progress report.. In Transforming Institutions: 21st Century Undergraduate STEM. West Lafayette, IN.: Purdue University Press.
• Blowers, P., Burd, G. D., Bolger, M. S., Johns, K. A., Lazos, L., Lysecky, R. L., Milsom, J. A., Novodvorsky, I., Pollard, J. R., Prather, E. E., Talanquer, V. A., Thamvichai, R., Tharp, H. S., Wallace, C. S., Cox, J., Elfring, L., Grubbs, E., & Hunter, J. (2014). Developing Faculty Cultures for Evidence-Based Teaching Practices in STEM: A Progress Report. In Transforming Institution: 21st Century STEM Undergraduate Education Conference. Indianapolis, IN: AAU-STEM.

Journals/Publications

• Tashiro, J., Talanquer, V., Pollard, J., & Parga, D. (2021). Characterizing change in students' self-assessment of understanding when engaged in instructional activities. Chemistry Education Research and Practice. doi:10.1039/d0rp00255k
• Talanquer, V. A., & Pollard, J. R. (2017). Reforming a Large Foundational Course: Successes and Challenges. Journal of Chemical Education. doi:10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00397
• Glass, R. S., Pollard, J. R., Zhang, X., Shan, Z., Pollard, J. R., Lorance, E., Lichtenberger, D. L., He, C., Gruhn, N. E., Glass, R. S., Deorazio, R., Block, E., & Birringer, M. (2000). Gas-Phase Photoelectron Spectroscopic and Theoretical Studies of 1,2-Dichalcogenins: Ionization Energies, Orbital Assignments, and an Explanation of Their Color. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 122(21), 5065-5074. doi:10.1021/ja9941330
  More info

  Gas-phase photoelectron spectroscopy and theoretical calculations are used to study the electronic structure of 1,2-dichalcogenins. Photoelectron spectra are reported for 1,2-dithiin, 3,6-dimethyl-...

Presentations

• Pollard, J. R. (2019, February). Why Do We Gather Students Together?. Arizona Western College Professional Development Day. Arizona Western College, Yuma Arizona.
• Pollard, J. R. (2018, February). Evidence-based Instructional Practice in STEM. Invited Workshop at Pima Community College. Pima Community College.
• Pollard, J. R. (2018, May). Change is Hard, Yet Needed- A Story of Curricular, Instructional and Institutional Change in Teaching General Chemistry and Beyond. Invited Talk, UC Irvine. University of California Irvine.
• Pollard, J. R. (2018, spring semester). Engaging Students in the Classroom. Invited workshop for California Institute of Technology. California Institute of Technology: Center of Teaching and Learning, Cal Tech.
• Pollard, J. R. (2018, spring semester). Evidenced Based Instruction in STEM. Pasadena Community College Workshop on Teaching. Pasadena Community College.
• Pollard, J. R. (2018, spring semester). Let's Focus on How We Think, Not What We Know, The Chemical Thinking Story. Southern Arizona Los Angeles America Chemical Society Dinner. Cal State Los Angeles.
• Pollard, J. R. (2018, spring semester). The Chemical Thinking Story. Invited Talk for Department of Chemistry at UNCO. University of Northern Colorado.
• Pollard, J. R. (2017, January). Questioning Why and How We Gather Students Together: Empowering Changes in Curricula and Teaching. California Institute of Technology Teaching Week event. Campus of Cal Tech.
• Pollard, J. R. (2017, March). Why Do We Gather Students In-class?. 2YC3 Truckee Meadows Community College regional meeting. Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno Nevada.
• Pollard, J. R., & Horii, C. (2017, October). Hacking Classrooms. Professional Organizational and Development Conference. Montreal, Canada: POD Network.
• Blowers, P., Elfring, L. K., Pollard, J. R., Prather, E. E., & Donahue, J. L. (2018, Spring). Engaging Students in Learning Through Interactive Teaching. Graduate Center and Postdoctoral Affairs. BIO5/Thomas W. Keating Building, Room B103, Tucson, AZ: Graduate Center and Postdoctoral Affairs.
• Pollard, J. R. (2016, August). How does thinking about thinking relate to chemical thinking?. Biannual Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE). University of Northern Colorado.
  More info

  This was a talk I gave presenting the recent research I have been doing on understanding the role that metacognition plays in the collaborative active learning classroom.
• Pollard, J. R. (2016, November). Why Do We Gather Students Together? A story of curricular and institutional change. Invited talk to Penn College of Engineering colloquium series. University of Pennsylvania.
• Pollard, J. R. (2016, October). Chemical Thinking for the Classroom. 2YC3 regional conference at Yavapai College. Yavapai College, Prescott Arizona.
• Pollard, J. R., & Talanquer, V. A. (2016, August). Chemical Thinking Workshop at the Biannual Conference on Chemical Education- University of Northern Colorado. Biannual Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE).
• Pollard, J. R. (2015, March). How to Continue to Succeed in Your Classes. Honors College Pining Ceremony.
• Pollard, J. R. (2015, October). Let’s Focus on Chemical Thinking: A Story of Curricular and Instructional Reform. AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative Network Conference. Washington University, St. Louis MO: AAU.
• Pollard, J. R. (2015, October). What We Know About Learning and How to Get Good Grades Without Caring About Good Grades. Honors College Convocation Keynote speaker.
• Blowers, P., Blowers, P., Burd, G. D., Burd, G. D., Bolger, M. S., Bolger, M. S., Johns, K. A., Johns, K. A., Lazos, L., Lazos, L., Lysecky, R. L., Lysecky, R. L., Milsom, J. A., Milsom, J. A., Novodvorsky, I., Novodvorsky, I., Pollard, J. R., Pollard, J. R., Prather, E. E., , Prather, E. E., et al. (2014, Oct). Developing Faculty Cultures for Evidence-Based Teaching Practices in STEM: A Progress Report. Transforming Institution: 21st Century STEM Undergraduate Education Conference. Indianapolis, IN: AAU-STEM.
• Blowers, P., Burd, G. D., Bolger, M. S., Johns, K. A., Lazos, L., Lysecky, R. L., Milsom, J. A., Novodvorsky, I., Pollard, J. R., Prather, E. E., Talanquer, V. A., Thamvichai, R., Tharp, H. S., Wallace, C. S., Cox, J., Elfring, L., Grubbs, E., Hunter, J., Blowers, P., , Burd, G. D., et al. (2014). Developing Faculty Cultures for Evidence-Based Teaching Practices in STEM: A Progress Report. Transforming Institution: 21st Century STEM Undergraduate Education Conference. Indianapolis, IN: AAU-STEM.
• Pollard, J. R. (2014, Fall). The Collaborative Learning Space Project Creating Environments for the Enhancement of Active Learning . UITS Teaching Technology Showcase Event.
• Pollard, J. R. (2014, January). Let’s Teach Students How We Think Not What We Know; A Curriculum Reform Story. Northern Arizona 2014 Teaching Day.
• Blowers, P., Blowers, P., Burd, G. D., Burd, G. D., Bolger, M. S., Bolger, M. S., Pollard, J. R., Pollard, J. R., Prather, E. E., & Prather, E. E. (2014, November). Leading Institutional Change Through Faculty Support and Engagement with Administrators: Use of Evidence Based Teaching Practices. AIChE National Conference. Atlanta, GA: AIChE.

Poster Presentations

• Pollard, J. R., & Schnoebelen, C. (2014, Summer). Evolution of Teaching Strategies Used By Preceptors In General Chemistry. 2014 Biannual Conference on Chemical Education.

Creative Productions

• Pollard, J. R. (2014. The Chemistry of Cold Packs. https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=http%3A%2F%2Fed.ted.com%2Flessons%2Fhow-do-cold-packs-get-cold-so-fast-john-pollard&redir_token=RwzLpCtSB45Dc8Cfr6rZ3H59EyJ8MTQyNTY1ODEyNUAxNDI1NTcxNzI1
  More info

  This is a video I produced in collaboration with the TedED foundation.
• Pollard, J. R. (2014. The chemistry of cold packsTedEd educational video. https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=http%3A%2F%2Fed.ted.com%2Flessons%2Fhow-do-cold-packs-get-cold-so-fast-&redir_token=uDyF-pE3AHRnHyG8737ahISzUQR8MTQyNjExMzE0OUAxNDI2MDI2NzQ5
• Pollard, J. R. (2013. Why don't oil and water mix?TedEd educational video. https://www.youtube.com/redirect?q=http%3A%2F%2Fed.ted.com%2Flessons%2Fwhy-don-t-oil-and-water-mix-john-pollard&redir_token=7odv-GmnMTGHWrqoUiYpnQ7aFrx8MTQyNjExMzE2M0AxNDI2MDI2NzYz

Others

• Pollard, J. R. (2017, June). Discussion Leader for National Programs in STEM Education Session. Gordon Conference for Chemical Education.