Amanda smiling and holding her dog

I’m Amanda Bongers, a chemist and researcher studying how people learn.

I am an Assistant Professor at Queen’s University, where I lead a research laboratory. Before this, I did educational and neuroscience research as a post-doc at uOttawa & the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Institute. I have a PhD in organic chemistry and a BSc in biochemistry.

Bio

Amanda joined Queen’s in July 2019 as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry with a focus on chemistry education research. Amanda grew up in a small town in Southern Ontario, where she learned by exploring and asking questions about nature. She completed her Honours Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry (2011) in the co-operative program at the University of Waterloo, where she grew a passion for synthetic organic chemistry. She went on to complete her Ph. D. in Organic Chemistry (2016) at the University of Ottawa with Prof. André Beauchemin, synthesizing many new and colourful heterocycles along the way. She then took a postdoctoral position (2016-2019) in the fields of Chemistry Education and Neuroscience, under the supervision of Prof. Alison Flynn (University of Ottawa) and Dr. Georg Northoff (Royal Ottawa Mental Health Institute).

Teaching

Prof. Bongers currently teaches  CHEM 112 – General Chemistry and CHEM 803 – Science Communication.

My approach to teaching is to use the best available science on learning,1 which stems from my own curiosity into the process of learning and cognition. I am guided by philosophies of collaboration, student agency, care, Land Back,2 and the role of higher education in answering the UN Call to Action for Sustainable Development.3

  1. Chemistry or science education research journals are an excellent resource:
    Journal of Chemical Education
    Chemistry Education Research and Practice
    Journal of Research in Science Teaching 
    Mind, Brain, and Education
  2. See “Decolonization is not a metaphor” by Tuck & Yang
    and What Is Land Back? from the Suzuki foundation.
  3. See Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

CV

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT & Education

Assistant Professor, Queen’s University

2019-Present

Postdoctoral Fellow, Royal Ottawa (Northoff) & University of Ottawa (Alison Flynn)

2016-2019

Doctor of Philosophy, University of Ottawa (André Beauchemin)

2011-2016

Bachelor of Science in Honours Biochemistry, Co-operative Program, University of Waterloo

2006-2011

Awards

CIC IUPAC Travel Award, $2500

2022

Green Chemistry & Catalysis Poster Prize Winner, £500

2020

NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Canada Graduate Scholarship – Doctoral

2012-2015

NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship – Masters

2011

Excellence Scholarship, University of Ottawa

2011-2016

President’s Scholarship, University of Waterloo

2006

Waterloo County Entrance Scholarship, University of Waterloo

2006

Publications & Patents

Teaching

Instructor, CHEM 803 “Principles of Scientific Communication”, Graduate level

2020-2022

Instructor, CHEM 112 “General Chemistry”, Undergraduate level

2020-2022

Teacher, ACS Green Chemistry Summer School 2020 [cancelled due to COVID19]

2020

Volunteer & Outreach

Faculty Advisor Queen’s Chemistry Inclusivity, Diversity, Equity, and Awareness Society

2019-Present

Lead of the Student-in-Residence Program, Chemistry, Experience Venture

2021

Volunteer Judge, Canada-Wide Science Fair

2020, 2021

Invited Speaker at the IYCN Virtual Workshop on “Science Outreach”

2021

Mentor, Bonds for Success program by the CIC Kingston Division

2020

Science Ambassador and Volunteer Researcher, Evidence for Democracy, Ottawa

2012-2019

Graduate & Mentor, “Mentor STEM Leaders” Program, WISE Ottawa

2015-2018

Committees

Appointed Member, Faculty EDII Council, Queen’s

2022-Present

Elected Member, Appointments Committee, Department of Chemistry, Queen’s

2021-Present

Chair, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, Queen’s

2020-Present

Member, STEM:InA Hiring Committee, Faculty of Arts and Science, Queen’s

2021

Member, QNS Review Committee Advisory to the Dean, Queen’s

2021

Member, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, Department of Chemistry, Queen’s

2019-Present

Past Professional Expereince

Research Associate (Co-op), Xerox Research Centre Canada, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada

2010

NSERC USRA Research Student (Co-op), Chong Research Lab, University of Waterloo

2009

R&D Analyst (Co-op) Piramal (formerly Torcan Chemical), Aurora, Ontario, Canada

2021

Laboratory Technician (Co-op) Air Quality Division Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario

2019-Present


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