Dr Dylan Williams MChem, PhD, MRSC, NTF

School of Chemistry
Associate Professor in Chemistry Education

Contact details

Telephone: (+44)(0) 121 414 3462
Email: d.williams.12@bham.ac.uk

Address: School of Chemistry
University of Birmingham
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B15 2TT
UK

Dylan is an Associate Professor in Chemistry.

Dylan has developed a number of innovative approaches to teaching and learning in the chemical sciences which have made use of Context and Problem Based Learning (C/PBL), gamified approaches to learning and digital laboratory environments.

Dylan was the Director of Learning and Teaching in the School of Chemistry at the University of Leicester between 2017 and 2021 and was the leader of the Leicester Chemical Learning Enhancement and Pedagogy group in the same period.

Dylan’s work has gained external recognition resulting in the award of a National Teaching Fellowship and a Royal Society of Chemistry HE Teaching Award. In 2017 Dylan was a member of the Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence Leicester Natural Sciences teaching team.

Qualifications

Teaching Excellence Award, University of Leicester, 2019
RSC Higher Education Teaching Award, 2018
National Teaching Fellow, 2017
Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (Leicester Natural Sciences team), 2017
Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2014
Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, 2012
University Teaching Fellow, University of Leicester, 2012
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice in Higher Education, University of Leicester, 2012
PhD in Chemistry, University of Liverpool, 2008
MChem in Chemistry, University of Liverpool, 2003

Postgraduate supervision

Erlina, University of Leicester, Graduated 2020
Harvey Broad, University of Leicester, Commenced October 2021

Other activities

Dylan is a committee member (and former Secretary) of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Higher Education Group. Dylan has contributed to the group’s work in raising the profile of Scholarship in Teaching and Learning in the Chemical Sciences (e.g. through organisation of the Variety in Chemistry Education conferences).
Dylan has been a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry Education Awards panel since 2020.
Dylan has been a member of the Association of National Teaching Fellows (ANTF) since 2017.
Dylan has been a committed member of the Royal Society of Chemistry (MRSC) since 2008. Dylan has supported the RSC’s work through contributions made to network meetings, national conferences and working groups.

Publications

Recent publications

Article

Mahomed, M, Sisodia, L, Williams, DP & Villa-Marcos, B 2024, 'Spectroscopy Unlocked: An Escape Room Activity for Introductory Chemistry Courses', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 101, no. 6, pp. 2570-2575. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c01320

Erlina, , Williams, DP, Cane, C, Hairida, Ulfah, M & Wafiq, AF 2024, 'Reconstructing perspectives: investigating how molecular geometry cards (MGCards) and molecular model building (MMB) disrupt students' alternative notions of molecular structure – a qualitative study', Chemistry Education Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1039/D3RP00038A

Brass, R, Braithwaite, E, Edwards, HE, Kaur, J, Kleanthous, A, Madhlangobe, TT, Mistry, AD, Suma, A, Hin, SLF & Williams, DP 2024, 'The Need for SPD: A Hybridization-Based Card Game for Students on Introductory Chemistry Courses', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 101, no. 9, pp. 4030-4036. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c01204

Broad, H, Carey, N, Williams, DP & Blackburn, RAR 2023, 'Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Chemistry Student and Staff Perceptions of their Learning/Teaching Experience', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 100, no. 2, pp. 664–671. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00856

George-Williams, SR, Blackburn, RAR, Wilkinson, SM & Williams, DP 2022, 'Prelaboratory technique-based simulations: exploring student perceptions of their impact on in-class ability, preparedness, and emotional state', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 99, no. 3, pp. 1383–1391. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c01116

Williams, DP 2022, 'vPBL: developing a facilitated remote approach to problem based learning', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 99, no. 4, pp. 1642–1650. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c01068

Erlina, E, Cane, C & Williams, DP 2021, 'Learning with leaflet of electronegativity (LoEN): enhancing students' understanding on electronegativity, chemical bonding, and polarity', Jurnal Pendidikan IPA Indonesia, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 60-68. https://doi.org/10.15294/jpii.v10i1.25650

Williams, D 2020, 'A Framework for Student-Instructor Partnerships', International Journal of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, vol. 32, no. 3, pp. 454.

Battersby, GL, Beeley, C, Baguley, DA, Barker, HD, Broad, HD, Carey, NC, Chambers, ES, Chodaczek, D, Blackburn, RAR & Williams, DP 2020, 'Go Fischer: An Introductory Organic Chemistry Card Game', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 97, no. 8, pp. 2226-2230. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00504

Williams, DP & Karim, K 2020, 'Inspirational Chemists: A Student Conference Activity to Raise Awareness of Diversity and Inclusion in the Chemical Sciences', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 97, no. 11, pp. 4039-4043. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00462

Williams, DP, Hin, SLF & Erlina, E 2019, 'First-Year Undergraduate Student Expectations of two UK Chemistry Degree Programmes', New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences. https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i14.3047

Blackburn, RAR, Villa-Marcos, B & Williams, DP 2019, 'Preparing Students for Practical Sessions Using Laboratory Simulation Software', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 96, pp. 153-158. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.8b00549

Williams, DP 2018, 'Measuring the Effectiveness of an Open Ended Team-Based Induction Task', New Directions in the Teaching of Physical Sciences, vol. 13. https://doi.org/10.29311/ndtps.v0i13.2680

Erlina, Cane, C & Williams, DP 2018, 'Prediction! the VSEPR Game: Using Cards and Molecular Model Building to Actively Enhance Students' Understanding of Molecular Geometry', Journal of Chemical Education, vol. 95, no. 6, pp. 991-995. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00687

Chapter (peer-reviewed)

Williams, D 2019, Context- and problem-based learning in chemistry in higher education. in MK Seery & C McDonnell (eds), Teaching Chemistry in Higher Education: A Festschrift in Honour of Professor Tina Overton. Creathach Press, pp. 123-136. <https://overtonfestschrift.files.wordpress.com/2020/04/overton-book-williams.pdf>

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