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Chemistry Alumna and Professor Join Forces as part of ACS Chemistry Ambassadors Program

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Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Chemistry alumna and Sharpsville Area High School teacher Merrissa (Malcolm) Nguyen '12 and Helen Boylan, Professor of Chemistry, have joined forces this year as part of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Ambassadors Program. Through this program, Boylan serves as a “Science Coach,” working with Nguyen to plan activities and connect classroom learning to the real world. Additionally, Nguyen’s school receives a $500 donation from the ACS to support science education.

Boylan visited Nguyen’s two chemistry classes in December. During her visit, the students completed a hand-on experiment on the chemistry of Alka Seltzer. Boylan also shared advice about choosing a major and led class discussion about the benefits and challenges of being a science major in college.

Boylan compliments Nguyen’s teaching style. “Mrs. Nguyen is an engaging teacher. The students connect well with her, and she is fun to work with.”

Nguyen and Boylan are planning a follow-up activity this spring where the students visit Westminster’s chemistry labs and have the opportunity to use advanced instrumentation to perform a chemical analysis.

Photo caption: Nguyen (left) and Boylan (right) in front of the “chemistree” in Sharpsville’s chemistry lab.

For more information, contact Helen Boylan at boylanhm@westminster.edu or 724-946-6293.