Speaker: Dr. Andre K. Isaacs, Associate Professor, College of the Holy Cross
STEM educators have long been reluctant to incorporate social issues in their curriculum and mentoring conversations. We deem the field to be one that is deeply technical and objective, leaving no room for integrating the culture of the students we teach. However, it is becoming increasingly difficult for educators to be effective in the classroom if we continue to decouple students’ lived experiences from their academic learning. This talk will focus on modern strategies that capitalize on the unique learning styles of the younger generation, with special attention to students from historically marginalized groups, to broaden participation in STEM. I will discuss how to incorporate Gen-Z culture in the classroom, tools for students to educate themselves and how to fuse digital media with academic learning.
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A native of Jamaica, André Isaacs moved to the US to attend the College of the Holy Cross where he received his B.A. in Chemistry in 2005. He received his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 (under the guidance of Professor Jeffery D. Winkler), where he focused on the design and synthesis of novel steroid-derived inhibitors of Hedgehog-signaling, based on the alkaloid cyclopamine. He worked as a post-doctoral researcher with Professor Richmond Sarpong at the University of California, Berkeley, where he focused on the synthesis of diterpenoids and the radiolabeled insecticide chlorantraniliprole. In 2012, Andre accepted a tenure-track position at the College of the Holy Cross. In 2018, Andre was promoted to the rank of Associate Professor with tenure. In addition to teaching courses in Organic Chemistry, Andre conducts research utilizing copper-mediated organic transformations. He is one of the co-founding members of Outfront - the college's LGBTQ faculty and staff alliance and serves as faculty advisor to several student groups including the Caribbean African Students' Assemblage, acapella group Fools on the Hill and Club Tennis. He uses his social media platform to challenge and dismantle the normative culture in STEM and to increase visibility of queer and BIPOC folks.
Location Information
200 University Ave West
Waterloo, ON, CA N2L 3G1
