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Meet Olajumoke Mary Ayeni, a graduate student in UNT Chemistry who recently received the 2024-25 Outstanding Teaching Fellows/Teaching Assistants Award from the UNT Faculty Senate, a testament to her dedication to the craft of chemistry education. The award is given to four graduate students every spring to honor their “superior teaching and academic performance as graduate students.” 

“I feel honored and thankful to have received this TA award and I am grateful that my efforts are valued,” said Mary, who has been teaching at UNT since her first semester here in 2022. “I love seeing students in my classes do well and progress in their own academic journeys. Receiving this award has not only acknowledged my efforts but also reinforced them!”

Mary earned her undergraduate degree with First-Class Honors from Adekunle Ajasin University in Nigeria before moving to the U.S. to continue her education at UNT. For her dissertation work, she is conducting research at the intersection of Synthetic Inorganic Chemistry and Chemistry Education Research (CER), studying under the mentorship of Dr. Mohammad Omary and Dr. Molly Atkinson. 

“I have always had a passion for studying students and instruction in chemistry,” Mary said. “However, I wanted to approach this from a more innovative perspective, where I could leverage the insights from synthetic experimental research to drive and empower the next student chemist and educator with skills that are relevant to the ever-changing, dynamic, and fast-paced world.” 

Mary’s passion for teaching and facilitating connection goes beyond the lab and classroom. She also serves as the Activities Coordinator for the UNT Chemistry Graduate Student Association (CGSO), setting up events like their International Games Night, which brings students together to appreciate and celebrate different cultures through food and fun. 

Hopeful to complete her doctoral degree in the 2026/27 school year, Mary said that her Ph.D. journey has been rewarding in many ways, especially when it comes to publishing and presenting her work. “Presenting at conferences has allowed me to share my findings, receive valuable feedback, and connect with peers and professionals in my field,” she said. Her most recent publication can be found in the Journal of Chemical Education, entitled “SymmSpec: An Interactive Python Tool for Predicting IR and Raman Activity for Undergraduate Inorganic Chemistry.” 

While researching doctoral programs, Mary said she was initially drawn to UNT for its commitment to sustainability and the CER research being led by Dr. Atkinson. 

“Overall, I chose UNT for its passion and dedication to help students, especially international students, succeed in this rapidly changing world and become innovative leaders of tomorrow,” she said. “This was evident during my application process as the staff and professors were welcoming and helpful.” 

Mary is looking forward to continuing her doctoral research and inspiring further progress in herself and others. “I hope to inspire the next generation of chemists and educators by developing instructional approaches that bridge the gap between experimental research and pedagogy in inorganic chemistry,” she said. “It’s important to prepare students with knowledge and skills that are relevant to the world we live in today.”