David Humphreys (1989)

Professor (Retired) Department of Chemistry McMaster University 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, ON L8S 4M1 Email: humphrey@mcmaster.ca

Dr. Humphreys is one of a very select group of faculty members to be promoted to Full Professor based on his educational activities. He has been given many awards for his outstanding teaching, including the "Catalyst Award" from the Manufacturing Chemists Association (one of only three Canadians in the 30 year history of the award), the Science Teachers' Association of Ontario award and the Science Faculty award from the McMaster Students' Union. He is widely known for his "inspirational" lectures designed to excite students' interest in studying chemistry and he originated drop in study centres at McMaster. His research and development work includes a wide variety of non-lecture teaching methods including videotapes, videodiscs and self-study modules.

His leadership contributions include many international workshops on university teaching and learning. He was founding Director of the McMaster Instructional Development Centre and helped establish Teaching and Learning Committees at McMaster and throughout the Province. He was co-founder and chair of the M.Sc/M.A. (Teaching) Program and has organized several major conferences on university teaching.

Recent Activities

David Humphreys has been working recently on the production of video disks, and compact disks, to demonstrate interesting reactions and a variety of physical phenomena. This material includes animations, as well as chemical reactions. He continues to develop material to inspire younger students in science, and presentations suitable for informing the public about science.

Professor Humphreys was the 1994 St-Mary's College Fellow, and Visiting Professor at the University of Durham in England, where he conducted workshops on a variety of topics centring around the theme "Bringing Knowledge to Life".

David continues to present lectures and workshops on a variety of teaching and learning issues, as well as science topics. For example, he gave the keynote address at the 13th International Conference on Chemical Education in Puerto Rico on "Using Reality to Stimulate Thinking", also workshops for teachers on "Teaching for Effective Learning". In addition Dr. Humphreys now travels extensively, lecturing to students and faculty on some of the social and religious implications of science, e.g. on such topics as "Molecules and Life".

In 1994 he co-authored a new text book, "Atoms, Molecules and Reactions" (Prentice Hall), which presents chemistry in a context where interesting reality is used as the basis for introducing theories and principles.

Awards