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Welcome to Our New Group Members!
The Flynn Research Group is excited to welcome new members to our team: Wilton J. D. Nascimento Júnior, Britney Achu, and Olivia Crummer. Each brings unique perspectives, energy, and curiosity that will strengthen our collaborative work in Chemistry Education Research.
We’re looking forward to learning together, supporting one another, and continuing to push the boundaries of research and innovation as a team.
Welcome aboard, we’re thrilled to have you with us on this journey!
#FlynnResearchGroup #ChemEd #Teamwork #Collaboration
Our new group members from left to right: Wilton J. D. Nascimento Júnior, Britney Achu, and Olivia Crummer.
Sharing Research and Building Connections
Members of the Flynn Research Group recently had the opportunity to share our research during a meeting with the Queen’s Chemistry Education Research Group.
This collaborative exchange allowed us to present our ongoing work, learn about exciting projects from our colleagues at Queen’s, and engage in thoughtful discussions about the future of Chemistry Education Research (CER).
We’re grateful for the chance to connect with our neighbouring CER group—collaborations like these strengthen our community and spark new ideas for impactful research!
FRG at the Canadian Chemistry Conference (CSC 2025)
Congratulations to Our Flynn Research Group Graduates! 🎓
We’re proud to celebrate the accomplishments of our Flynn Research Group members as they graduate and move forward into exciting new chapters:
Jacky Deng
Alisha Szozda
Uche Nworah
Ray Fan
Sarah McPhedran
Mann Ali-Nour
Your dedication, curiosity, and contributions to our research and community have been truly inspiring. We can’t wait to see where your journeys take you next!
From all of us at FRG congratulations, and thank you for being such an important part of our team!
From left to right: Ray, Uche, Alisha, Professor Flynn, and Jacky.
From left to right : Alisha, Professor Flynn, and Jacky.
Professor Flynn and Sarah McPhedran.
Celebrating Our Graduate Presenters at OCCI Day
Sarwa’s First Presentation Milestone at FRG!
Alisha Joins Multi-Disciplinary EDI Project at Carleton University
We’re excited to share that Alisha has accepted a prestigious post-doctoral fellowship at Carleton University, working with Dr. Rowan Thomson and Dr. Sonia Chiasson. She is collaborating with a dynamic team of neuroscientists, computer scientists, engineers, and physicists on a groundbreaking multi-disciplinary project focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI). Alisha’s work aims to assess individuals' readiness to implement EDI initiatives in STEM, contributing valuable insights to foster more inclusive environments in the sciences.
Way to go, Alisha!
Alisha Named Chief Moderator
Open Dialogue, Fresh Perspectives!
We were thrilled to host Pallavi Nayyar for an engaging discussion with the Flynn Research Group on her latest paper: "Evaluating an Intervention to Improve General Chemistry Students' Perceptions of the Utility of Chemistry."
The session sparked rich conversations around students' motivation, relevance of chemistry to real life, and how to design meaningful interventions in chemistry education. We also explored the experimental design of the study, as well as statistical analysis methods used to assess impact and student perception—all central topics for researchers in our field.
Big thanks to Pallavi for sharing her insights and creating space for reflection and growth!
Shoutout to Our Undergrads at USRO and the Honours symposia!
Big congratulations to Jolia, who presented her research at the University of Ottawa’s Undergraduate Science Research Opportunities (USRO)! Congratulations also goes to the Honours students, Uche, Ray, and Thalia, who presented their research in the Honours student symposia.
Their curiosity, creativity, and commitment to advancing chemistry education were on full display. We’re proud to see the next generation of researchers making their mark and contributing meaningfully to the field.
Way to go, you’re shaping the future of science education!
From top-left to bottom-right: Ray, Uche, Jolia, and Thalia.
FRG Grad Students Judge at ORSF & USRO!
This term, graduate students from the Flynn Research Group stepped up as judges at the Ottawa Regional Science Fair (ORSF) and the University of Ottawa’s Undergraduate Science Research Opportunities (USRO).
More than just judging, this was a chance to connect, mentor, and reflect. Engaging with young scientists gave our students valuable insight into how learners think and communicate in science. These experiences strengthen their skills as chemistry education researchers and future educators.
Real-world moments like this help bridge research and practice, exactly what FRG is all about!
FRG Grad students judge at ORSF from left to right : Sarwa, Sylvanna, Lilli
Another milestone for Professor Flynn!
A (Belated) Warm Welcome to Our New PhD Student!
We’re thrilled to officially welcome Sarwa, who joined the Flynn Research Group this January as a PhD student in Chemistry!
A passionate educator, dedicated researcher, and inspiring leader, she brings over 12 years of teaching and leadership experience to our team, along with the incredible perspective of being a mother balancing it all. Her commitment to transforming science education is already making an impact.
Welcome to FRG, your journey is just beginning, and we’re lucky to have you!
Sarwa on her first day at the STEM complex building
Congratulations, Professor Flynn!
We’re proud to celebrate Dr. Alison Flynn’s appointment as Associate Editor for the Journal of Chemical Education !
Her leadership, innovation, and dedication to transforming chemistry education continue to inspire us. This new role is a well-deserved recognition of her impactful work, and we can’t wait to see how she helps shape the future of the field through this platform. As a role model and mentor, Professor Flynn leads with purpose and passion, uplifting everyone around her.
Way to go, Professor Flynn!
Congratulations to Silvi for performing in the uOttawa dance recital!
Silvi had a successful dance recital on March 15th held at Shenkman Arts Centre! uOttawa Dance Club
Check out a video of her performance using this link.
Highlighting the new graduate students in FRG!
Congratulations, Dr. Szozda!!!
Thank you to Dr. Katherine Blackford for a wonderful invited group meeting discussion!
We were thrilled to have Dr. Katherine Blackford from UC Berkeley join us for our weekly group meeting! Dr. Blackford presented her research on metacognitive regulation in organic chemistry students, focusing on how and why students use metacognitive strategies when predicting reactivity. This work is part of her publication authored within the Baranger Group, Chemistry Education Group at UC Berkeley.
We had an engaging discussion about the publication and gained valuable insights from Dr. Blackford about her research in chemistry education and her current role at UC Berkeley.
Welcome Samuel and Priyanka to the group!
Meet our newest FRG members Samuel and Priyanka! Priyanka and Samuel are both in their 3rd year of Health Sciences. We look forward to all the great contributions they will make in the group!!