Daniel Collins
  • Instructional Associate Professor

Biography

I am in my tenth year teaching at Texas A&M University and my teaching specialties include CHEM 227 Organic Chemistry I and all of the General Chemistry courses in the First-Year Program (FYP). These courses are the foundation for undergraduate students, numerous majors and pre-professional programs. While these courses have large enrollments, challenging topics, and a major problem-solving component, I enjoy helping students transition through these pre-requisite courses, overcoming common hurdles, and encouraging students into their intended areas of study.

Outside of teaching those service courses, I have been active in the University’s, College of Arts and Science, and Department of Chemistry’s Hullabaloo U program. This first-semester course is designed to help first-year students transition to college by giving them strategies on academic success, time management, and building a strong, supportive community. For my work with this program, I was named the 2023 First-Year Experience Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students by the Texas A&M University Office of Student Success.

My current research activities include analyzing of different homework platforms and educational tools inside and outside of the classroom. Major areas of expertise include using online videos (such as the "Trouble Topic Videos" series for reduce sticking points throughout the semester) and increased active learning and engagement in the lecture setting. These diverse problem types and activities help students from all different majors thrive with the volume and difficulty of the organic chemistry content.

In September of 2022, I was named Co-Director of Outreach for the Department of Chemistry. Our mission is to expand the number of events to help inspire, engage, and educate the next generation of up-and-coming STEM student. I have been a Question Reader and Science Judge for the Department of Energy (DOE) Junior and High School Regional Science Bowls, hosted by Texas A&M, since 2016.  For the past four years, I have been a Moderator for the DOE National Science Bowl, hosted virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic, or in-person in Washington D.C. each spring. I also enjoy judging secondary science competitions, and have actively participated in the Texas Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, Texas Junior Academy of Science, and Texas Science and Engineering Fair (TXSEF) since 2019.

More recently, a major focus for the Chemistry Outreach Program has been expanding to schools outside of the Bryan-College Station area to help with secondary-level chemistry.  Along with helping with in-class tutoring at Bryan ISD high schools, I am the section head for the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Chemistry Olympiad, where local students compete on standardized tests and lab practicum for possible inclusion on the U.S. National Chemistry Team.

The most visible aspect of my outreach activities is being the Department of Chemistry Mole Mascot since 2015, showing up at outreach events, in social media and television segments.

At the university level, I am a faculty member for the College of Arts and Science to the Aggie Honor Council for the past 8 years, the University Discipline Appeals Panel for the past 6 years, and the University Academic Appeals Panel for the past 5 years. These panels help the university community by overseeing the academic behavior, standards and regulations, and student conduct and Title IX regulations at Texas A&M. I was also a Faculty Senator from 2018-2019 and 2021-2023, and a Faculty Senate Executive Committee member from 2019-2020 and 2021-2022.

Outside of my professional career, I am an avid sports fan (GO CUBS!), runner, husband to Sara, dog dad to Penny and Molly, and cat dad to Stella, Dottie, Meredith Gray, and Leonard.  I am also a longtime Little League Baseball and Softball volunteer, and work at many different golf tournaments throughout the year in many capacities!

Educational Background

  • B.S. in Chemistry, University of Dayton (2007)
  • Ph. D., Chemistry, University of South Carolina (2012)

Industry Experience

    • Lecturer – University of South Carolina (2012-2013)
    • Lecturer – Presbyterian College (2013)
    • Teaching Faculty – The Florida State University (2013-2015)

    Leadership, Community Outreach, & Departmental Service

    • Faculty Member – Aggie Honor Council (2017-2024)
    • Faculty Member - University Discipline Appeals Panel (2018-2024)
    • Faculty Member - Texas A&M Faculty Senate (2018-2020, 2021-2022)
    • Executive Committee Member – Texas A&M Faculty Senate (2019-20, 2021-22)
    • Instructor – Hullabaloo U First-Year Experience
    • Mole Mascot - Texas A&M University Chemistry Open House (2015-24)
    • Presenter – Faculty/Advisor Insights – Texas A&M New Student Conferences (NSC) – (2022)
    • Co-Director of Outreach – Department of Chemistry (2022-24)

Awards & Honors

  • 2024 Open Educational Resources Award – Texas A&M Student Government Association – April 2024
  • 2024 Provost APT Faculty Teaching Excellence Award – Texas A&M Center for Teaching Excellence – February 2024
  • 2023 FYE Outstanding Advocate for First-Year Students Award - Office of Student Success – June 2023
  • 2022 University-Level Distinguished Teaching Award – Association of Former Students –  April 2022
  • 2021– College Level Teaching Award – College of Science – Association of Former Students - July 2021
  • 2020 McGraw-Hill ALEKS All-Star Educator of the Year – January 2021
  • 2019 FISH Camp Namesake – Division of Student Affairs - February 2019
  • 2019 Honoring Excellence Award – Department of Residence Life – February 2019

Selected Publications

  • Collins, D.P.; Johnson, E.; Coulter, E.D.; Beharry, Z.; Ballou, D.P; Dawson, J.H. Caught in the Act: Monitoring O-O Bond Cleavage in Acylperoxoferric Cytochrome P450cam to Form Compound I in Real Time. (2022) Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 236, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2022.111949

  • Invited Seminars, Talks, & Workshops

    • “Having ‘Tough’ Conversations in Your Hullabaloo U Course” Collins, D.; 2023 Hullabaloo U All Instructor Online Lecture Series (July 2023) – Oral (Online) Presentation – College Station, TX
    • “How to Exemplify the Core Values of Texas A&M”Collins, D.; ASSIST Student Organization – November Meeting (November 2021) – Invited Keynote Speaker – College Station, TX.
    • “Discussing Diversity, Inclusion, and Looking Forward at Texas A&M”Collins, D.; FISH AIDES Student Organization – November Meeting (November 2021) – Invited Keynote Speaker – College Station, TX.
    • "Am I Absolutely Sure What Direction I am Going: 5 Tips for 'Coming Back to Campus'"Collins, D.; Federation of Texas A&M University Mothers' Club – Fall Dinner (August 2021) – Invited Keynote Speaker – College Station, TX.
    • "Doodle Poll and Trouble Topic Videos: Listening to Student Concerns and the Creation of Online Problem Explanations"Collins, D.; American Chemical Society - Fall Conference (August 2021) – Poster Session – Online.
    • "Metacognition and Self-Efficacy: Helping Students THINK About Thinking" Collins, D.; 2021 Hullabaloo U All Instructor Symposium (May 2021) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX
    • "Using Light Board Technology to Give an Online "Face-to-Face" Interaction"Collins, D.; AACU Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference (November 2020) – Facilitated Discussion – Online.
    • "Lightboards and Asynchronous Lectures: Improving Content and Problem Discussions for Students" Collins, D.; Risica, G. National Institute on Scientific Teaching SI Happy Hour (September 25, 2020– Oral Presentation (Digital).
    • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations"Collins, D. 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting. Abstract accepted September 9, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting was terminated on September 15th, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Section:, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
    • "Using the ALEKS organic preparatory course to help off-sequence students succeed in first-semester organic chemistry"Collins, D. 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting. Abstract accepted September 9, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting was terminated on September 15th, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Section:, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
    • "Taking the Panic out of the Pandemic: 5 Tips to Surviving the Strangest Freshman Year for College Students"Collins, D. 2020 Texas A&M University Honor Program "Pasta and Prof" Presentation (October 7, 2020) – Invited Oral Presentation (Digital) – College Station, TX
    • "Tape doesn't lie: Recording teaching assistants while they are teaching to increase the effectiveness of a professional development program." Collins, D.2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. Abstract accepted March 31, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education was terminated on April 2, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Division of Chemical Education, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
    • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations . Collins, D.; Risica, G. 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. Abstract accepted March 31, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education was terminated on April 2, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Division of Chemical Education, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
    • "Using Technology to Help First-Year Students with Time Management, Campus Transportation, Scheduling and Budgeting" Collins, D.; 2020 Hullabaloo U All Instructor Symposium (May 2020) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX
    • ""The Tape Doesn't Lie": Recording TAs to Increase Teaching Training" Collins, D.; 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference (April 2020) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference was cancelled on March 28, 2020.
    • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations" Collins, D.and Risica, G.; 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference (April 2020) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference was cancelled on March 28, 2020.
    • "Chemistry reinforcement module: ALEKS summer prep used as an early warning" Collins, D., Bethel, R., and McCartney, S.; Southwest-Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting (November 2019) – Oral Presentation – El Paso, TX
    • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations" Collins, D.and Risica, G.; Southwest-Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting (November 2019) – Oral Presentation – El Paso, TX
    • "The Tape Doesn't Lie": Recording TAs to Increase Teaching Training" Collins, D.; AACU Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference (November 2019) – Facilitated Discussion – Chicago, IL.
    • "Increased Teaching Assistant Training and Pedagogy Techniques to Increase Retention and Success of First-Year Students in General Chemistry Courses" Collins, D.; Gordon Research Conference – Chemistry Education Research and Practice (June 2019) – Poster Presenter – Lewis, ME.