Deakin scientist wins chemistry education award

Geelong-based Deakin University scientist, Associate Professor Kieran Lim, has been awarded the Australian chemistry profession's highest education prize.

The Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) awarded Associate Professor Lim with the Division of Chemical Education Medal for 2008 at the RACI ChemEd08 Conference last week.

The medal is the highest national chemical education award of the RACI, and is given for excellence in chemical education in Australia. It is awarded for a combination of chemical education research, teaching, and promotion of chemistry.

In the medal citation, the RACI said Associate Professor Kieran Lim was known for his advocacy, development and research on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in chemical education.

"His push to improve students' generic written communication skills uses ICT as mainstream (taken-for-granted) tools and his Chemistry Style Manual is used as a teaching resource at many institutions within Australia and overseas," the citation said.

"Kieran's research on the use of ICT and development on various aspects of teaching and learning have resulted in 30 refereed papers in the areas of chemical education and university education.

"He has been active in the promotion of chemistry and chemistry education by organising and delivering professional development sessions for schoolteachers, and hands-on outreach activities for primary- and secondary-school students."