Meet Dr. Adriana Corrales, UNT Chemistry's new Visiting Assistant Professor and Postdoctoral Associate in Chemistry Education Research (CER). Originally from Texas, Dr. Corrales received their BS in Biochemistry from UT Austin and went on to acquire a MS in Chemistry and her PhD in Mathematics and Science Education from University of San Diego/San Diego State University.

Dr. Corrales is excited to join the team at the University of North Texas, teaching Organic Chemistry I and II. "I get to teach and research as a postdoc while learning what it is like to be a new faculty member," they said. "It's great jumping off point as I continue to figure out my career path. Also, the Atkinson lab is amazing! They're such nice people and I love their research."

The Atkinson Research Group at the University of North Texas specializes in CER, and the lab specifically investigates how undergraduate chemistry students' view and learn to use chemistry representations, providing insight into how to best support students' learning of chemistry through effective instruction. Dr. Corrales is using her knowledge of CER to better serve students in their classes, and is most excited to teach retrosynthesis, where students will be able to devise reaction mechanism for novel compounds.

"I am changing up how organic chemistry is taught in some ways," she said. "I am making it more interactive and hands-on. I want my students to justify their answers using argumentation. They will be writing in my chemistry class, which is not the norm."

Dr. Corrales post-doctoral research interests lie in chemistry graduate student professional development and mentorship, chemistry faculty professional development and instructional training, and undergraduates' understanding of chemical representations in organic chemistry. In their free time, Dr. Corrales is a powerlifter focusing on the squat, bench, and deadlift. She also has a dog named Zelda that goes everywhere with her.

For more information about the Atkinson Research Group and Chemistry Education Research at UNT, visit https://mollyatkinson92.wixsite.com/atkinson.