Programs & Events
What's on TAP!
NOBCChE- LOS ANGELES CHAPTER MEETING!
The Los Angeles Chapter of NOBCChE will be having its first meeting of the quarter, Saturday, August 23, 2008. The meeting will be from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm at Lucy Florence Cultural Center, 3351 W. 43 rd street, Los Angeles, CA 90008. This is in the Leimert Park district. Topics will be Western Regional Conference, membership, college mentoring program, High School Science Bowl teams, networking with other professional organizations.
2008 NOBCChE WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE
The regional conference will be held on the beautiful campus of Cal Poly in Pomona. The dates are October 10-11, 2008.
This regional meeting will feature: technical talks by professionals, faculty, and student researchers. Additionally participants will have the opportunity to participate in resume building seminars, investment/retirement strategies, learn to build websites, and receive additional information about graduate school and internship opportunities. Early registration is advised.
The committee is accepting abstracts or research papers.
For more info about the conference click here
May 2008
NOBCChE-LA on SUMMER BREAK
NOBCChE LA meetings will take a break for the summer to allow our members to spend time with their famiies and friends. The next meeting will be in the first week of September. Please contact us to recieve an email.
CAL POLY IS THE PLACE
Regional Chairman Isom Harrison has designated Cal Poly Pomona as the site for the next Western Regional meeting. Cal Poly Pomona is one of only a few polytechnic universities nationwide. Cal Poly Pomona integrates technology into a traditional liberal arts education as well as into the applied sciences. The university has plush conference rooms and hotel accomodations that made it a natural fit for the conference.
NEW NOBCChE STUDENT CHAPTER!
The Los Angeles chapter of NOBCCHE is proud to announce the formation of a new student chapter at Cal Poly University in Pomona.
This would also be the first and only student chapter in the Los Angeles region. The chapter initially started as a club for minorities majoring in the sciences with Dr. Ed Walton as their advisor. The students wanted to develop a partnership with a national organization that would offer pathways to stimulate growth, do research and networking opportunities. Assistant professor and NOBCCHE member, Dr. Michael Page suggested NOBCCHE.
“I am extremely pleased the minority club chose to become apart of NOBCCHE. NOBCCHE was instrumental throughout my college years and in the development of my professional career. I received my first job opportunity at a NOBCCHE national conference several years ago.” says professional chapter president Christalyn Leary, “I welcome the opportunity for the professional chapter to mentor and offer support to these future scientists.” Dr. Ed Walton will remain student advisor.
April 2008
Dr. Michael Page will present his current research, "Improving High School Chemistry Classes with Students," at the NOBCChE conference in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Page is an assistant professor of Chemical Education at California State Polytechnic University. An abstract of his research is listed below:
Improving High School Chemistry Classes with Students
Edward Walton, Michael Page, Joelle Opotowsky, and Brenda Olsen
- California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA
- Diamond Ranch High School, Pomona, CA
High school chemistry teachers are faced with tremendous challenges in teaching our science to students. According to the National Academies America's Lab Report: Investigations in High School Science (2005), “Laboratory experiences have the potential to help students attain several important learning goals, including mastery of science subject matter, increased interest in science, and development of scientific reasoning skills. That potential is not being realized today…..Improving high school science teachers' capacity to lead laboratory experiences effectively is critical to advancing the educational goals of these experiences.”
We have developed a summer teacher/student program that trains high school students to become effective teaching assistants to their chemistry teachers. The students received a certified tutor-training course, they were trained in peer instruction, inquiry based science-teaching, and short classroom presentations. They got experience working with teachers in conducting hands-on inquiry based activities and presentation of chemical demonstrations.
Ten teachers and 25 students participated in the summer program. During this academic year so far 18 of the students are working with their teachers in the classroom. Some stay after school each week to help prepare labs. Some have been assigned as “lab aids” or student assistants. The students are receiving “service credits” or credits for "Advanced Science Independent Study."
We share here how the program was designed to produce effective outcomes.
