Congratulations to Sarwa on Passing Her Comprehensive Exam!

We are overjoyed to celebrate Sarwa Al Akkad, who successfully passed her comprehensive exam on Monday — a huge milestone in her graduate journey!

Passing a comprehensive exam is no small feat, and Sarwa’s success is a shining example of excellence, determination, and passion for science. Please join us in congratulating her on this remarkable accomplishment!

Way to go, Sarwa!

Sarwa Al Akkad

Welcome to Our New Group Members!

We’re excited to welcome the newest members of the Flynn Research Group, Emily Williams and Dashiell Gilders. Each brings a unique blend of curiosity, creativity, and passion for advancing chemistry education research, and we’re thrilled to have them join our vibrant community of researchers.

As they begin their journey with us, we look forward to learning from one another, sharing ideas, and continuing to grow together as researchers, educators, and collaborators.

Welcome to the team Emily and Dashiell we can’t wait to see the great things we’ll achieve together!

Emily Williams

Dashiell Gilders

Our Approach to Generative AI in Research 🤖

At the Flynn Research Group, we embrace innovation, and Generative AI (GenAI) is one of the exciting tools shaping the future of research. Our group is exploring how GenAI can enhance creativity, streamline workflows, and spark new ideas in chemistry education research, while enduring the core values of rigor, integrity, and critical thinking.

We view GenAI as a supportive collaborator, not a replacement for human insight. Every use of AI in our work is approached responsibly and transparently, outputs are critically evaluated, verified with credible sources, and any AI assistance is clearly acknowledged.

By integrating GenAI thoughtfully, we’re preparing ourselves and the next generation of researchers to navigate the evolving research landscape with confidence, curiosity, and care.

📄 To learn more about how we approach AI use in our work, check out our detailed policy on Generative Artificial Intelligence in Research.

Welcome to Our New Group Member!

Meredith Allen

The Flynn Research Group is excited to welcome Dr. Meredith Allen to the team! Meredith brings a strong background in organic and medicinal chemistry, as well as a passion for mentorship, teaching, and fostering inclusive and collaborative spaces in science.

We’re looking forward to learning from her experiences and working together as we continue to grow as a team. Welcome aboard, Meredith, and we’re thrilled to have you join us!

#FlynnResearchGroup #ChemEd #Teamwork #Collaboration

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!

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.

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!

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!