A science educator for 28 years, Noel has inspired students throughout Southern California. Both students and teachers value Noel for her interactive approach to learning chemistry, especially at her previous high school Campbell Hall, where she taught for the past five years. “Her students do not just memorize,” notes UCLA chemistry instructor Arlene Russell, “they learn to articulate and think about science.”
Always on the cutting-edge of chemical education, Noel’s teaching technique employs hands-on activities that result in students having a clearer understanding of how chemistry works. “She is the kind of teacher who lets you know when and where you will use science in your life,” says former student Kathy Furst.
Noel not only makes learning science practical; she has tailored her curriculum to make it fun. For the past fifteen years she has set the stage for an annual Halloween magic show where chemistry students perform demonstrations of chemical reactions. Flaming bubbles filled with hydrogen and exploding hydrogen balloons are some past attractions. According to Noel, this activity encourages students to “uncover how the ‘magic’ worked.”
Along with her dedication to teaching, Noel is committed to science education outside the classroom. She has led workshops and developed programs for teachers, including most recently, a National Science Foundation grant program charged to develop web-based instruction in chemistry for educators and students. She was also involved in creating an instructional videodisc for the ACS entitled “Doing Chemistry” that, though originally developed as background for new science teachers, is now widely used in classrooms to aid lectures and laboratory demonstrations.
Noel earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Immaculata College in Pennsylvania and her Master’s degree in education at Claremont Graduate School in California.