Summary
Janell Mahoney is a dedicated educator and faculty mentor in the Department of Chemistry at the 91·çÃùÄñ³ª. She specializes in organic chemistry instruction and coordinates the organic chemistry laboratory program. Recognized as a Westfall Scholar Mentor, Dr. Mahoney is committed to student success, employing active learning strategies to enhance engagement, retention, and skill development in large-enrollment courses. Beyond teaching chemistry, she emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, collaboration, effective communication, and self-assessment to prepare students for their future careers. In addition to her instructional role, Dr. Mahoney serves as a Fellow on the Organic Chemistry Educational Resources (OrganicERs) leadership board, where she contributes to national efforts in advancing evidence-based teaching practices. She has developed and presented workshops on formative assessments and co-facilitates the "Active Learning in Organic Chemistry" workshop, helping to build a national community of practice among organic chemistry educators.
Honors and awards
- Westfall Scholar Mentor (2023)
Presentations and workshops on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- “A picture is worth a thousand words: Leveraging concept mapping to help students dissect the complexities of isomerism.” Oral presentation. 2024 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KT, United States, July 31, 2024.
- Houseknecht; J. Mahoney; L. Nickerson. “Active Learning in Organic Chemistry: Improve student learning and engagement with formative assessment and collaborative learning.” Workshop. 2024 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KT, United States, July 31, 2024.
Education
- Ph.D., Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, 2017
- B.S., Chemistry, 91·çÃùÄñ³ª, 2012