Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Nicole Becker. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.
Nicole Becker's research focuses on understanding how undergraduate chemistry students develop reasoning and conceptual understanding of various chemistry topics. Her studies explore students' ideas regarding particulate-level variation as they evolve throughout their college chemistry experience. Utilizing eye-tracking technology and semi-structured interviews, she analyzes how students interpret graphical representations. Her projects examine students' understanding of bonding models and their progress across general, organic, inorganic, and physical chemistry courses. Through longitudinal and cross-sectional methods, Becker provides a holistic view of students' cognitive and epistemic development. She also explores how learning environments influence students' engagement with three-dimensional (3D) learning, emphasizing scientific practices and core ideas. Collaborating with universities, she assesses curricula's impact on students' reasoning and epistemological framing. Past projects have included developing strategies to enhance students' understanding of mathematical models in chemistry and examining how they interpret energy distribution in chemical processes. Collectively, her work aims to enhance chemistry education by informing teaching practices, developing effective learning activities, and improving the understanding of how students learn and reason about complex scientific concepts.
University of Iowa • Iowa City, IA
Taught undergraduate and graduate courses, conducted research in chemistry education.
University of Iowa • Iowa City, IA
Focused on research and teaching, mentoring graduate students.
Michigan State University • East Lansing, MI
Currently teaching and advancing research in chemistry education.
Department of Psychology