Diane Coley McGann, a teacher at Santa Ana High School in Santa Ana, Calif., will receive the Western Regional High School Chemistry Teaching Award from the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world's largest scientific society. The award will be presented at the 36th Western Regional meeting on October 7 in Ontario, Calif.
McGann's teaching style is tailored to the particular needs of her students. For many, English is a second language, and she finds that demonstrations are more effective than discussions. Her class conducts an average of 25 experiments each semester, focusing on the scientific method of observing, collecting and presenting data. About three percent of Santa Ana High School students attend college, but the majority pursue science degrees -- a testament to McGann's teaching.
McGann comments, "I believe my major accomplishment falls firmly in educational research on how to motivate and to empower student achievement."
Since 1991, McGann has created a series of workshops to assist elementary, junior high and high school teachers to excite their students about chemistry. The workshops are designed to be informative and economical, the experiments can be done with common household chemicals. Some examples are Chemistry Wizardry, Household Chemistry and Ziplock Chemistry -It's in the Bag!
In 1992, the Orange County Science Education Association presented McGann with the Excellence in Science Education Award. Most recently, she received the High School Chemistry Teaching Award for Excellence from the University of California at Irvine. She is a member of the American Chemical Society, California Association of Chemistry Teachers and the California Science Teachers Association. McGann received her bachelor's degree in chemistry from Immaculate Heart College and her master's from California State University at Long Beach.
McGann resides in Los Alametos, Calif.
A nonprofit organization with a membership of nearly 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers, the American Chemical Society publishes scientific journals and databases, convenes major research conferences, and provides educational, science policy and career programs in chemistry. Its main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio. ( http://www.acs.org )