Abdul Rauf

Abdul is third year PhD Chemistry candidate, specializing in Chemistry Education Research. His research focuses on making the instruction and learning of chemistry more effective, contemporary, and engaging. Specifically, his work aims to meet two major goals: first, integrating curricula with real-world applications and contemporary research, and second, addressing the critical national need for improving retention rates in STEM courses, particularly in challenging courses like general chemistry and organic chemistry. To that end, his current research involves three main projects: 1) Collaborative Action Research (CAR) with instructors to refine instructional strategies and pedagogy via the introduction of evidence-based, high-impact practices and approaches in key introductory courses in college chemistry, while concurrently providing professional development opportunities to college chemistry instructors; 2) Empowering Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) who play a crucial role in student success, by exploring how GTAs exercise their professional agency within the department, what factors influence it, and the outcomes of their practice of professional agency; and 3) Using the lens of models and modeling, Abdul explores students' cognitive processes and perception of scientific models as they engage with writing reaction mechanisms in organic chemistry. By examining these cognitive processes, he aims to develop the most effective approaches for teaching models and modeling within the context of organic chemistry.

2021 - MS-Chemistry, Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).

• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program)- IPS for Researchers
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program)- IRB Reference Resource
• Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI Program)- Group 2. HSP, Social / Behavioral Research Investigators and Key Personnel.

1. American Chemical Society (ACS); Membership ID: 33098617
2. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST);  Membership ID: 71955963
3. American Educational Research Association (AERA);  Membership ID: 1106674
4. American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS);  Membership ID: 60833777

1. Rauf, A., Ryu, M., Wink, D.J. (2024, July 29). Engaging College Chemistry Faculty in Collaborative Action Research for Professional Development. Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) 2024, Lexington, Kentucky. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.25764.90247
2. Rauf, A., Ryu, M., (2024, July 29). Beyond Arrows: Organic chemistry students' understanding of electron pushing formalism as scientific modeling. Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) 2024, Lexington, Kentucky. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32475.78884
3. Rauf, A., & Ryu, M. (2024, March 17). Empowering Graduate Teaching Assistants in STEM: Role of Collaborative Action Research in Professional Agency Development. National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST) 2024 Annual International Conference, Denver, CO.
4. Rauf, A., Ryu, M., Wink, D.J. (2023, March 27). Oral talk: Institutional transformation through curriculum and faculty development to serve the modern chemistry student: Action research as a professional development strategy. American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2023 International Conference, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.21310.70723
5. Rauf, A., Ryu, M., Wink, D.J. (2023, March 27). Institutional transformation through curriculum and faculty development to serve the modern chemistry student: Action research as a professional development strategy. SciMix, American Chemical Society (ACS) Spring 2023 International Conference, Indianapolis, IN. https://doi.org/10.1021/scimeetings.3c00062

1. Working as Graduate Research Assistant on Action Research Component of “Institutional Transformation Through Curriculum And Faculty Development To Serve The Modern Chemistry Student  (IUSE ICT): NSF-DUE 2111446
2. Empowering Graduate Teaching Assistants in STEM: The Role of Collaborative Action Research in Professional Agency Development. (IUSE ICT): NSF-DUE 2111446
3. Independent Research Project: Reframing Electron Pushing Formalism in Organic Chemistry: An Investigation into Students’ Perception and Application of EPF.