Student Members 2019
Deb Mlsna Research Group
Viveka Perera
My research in chemical education is focused on peer-supported, small group classroom interactions. We implemented recitation sessions into the General Chemistry I (CH 1213) courses beginning in 2016. The peer-focused recitation program is successful in encouraging students to solve and discuss chemistry problems in groups and enhances the student chemistry understanding. I also work on a collaborative project with the Psychology department that utilizes eye tracking instrumentation to study student learning with chemistry word problems. This research aims to find how people learn and explore how worked examples could be improved for use in online settings.
I also developed all experiments for a new Biochemistry laboratory course for third-year chemistry major undergraduate students. Designing experiments, writing the lab manual, performing tryouts for all the twelve experiments, and lab coordination were a big challenge. It led me to make decisions myself and improved my self-confidence. We successfully implemented this new biochemistry lab course into the chemistry department in Fall, 2018.
I also developed all experiments for a new Biochemistry laboratory course for third-year chemistry major undergraduate students. Designing experiments, writing the lab manual, performing tryouts for all the twelve experiments, and lab coordination were a big challenge. It led me to make decisions myself and improved my self-confidence. We successfully implemented this new biochemistry lab course into the chemistry department in Fall, 2018.
Dulani Samarasekara
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I received my B.S. in chemistry from the University of Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2009 and a master’s degree in Analytical Chemistry from the same university in 2015. In 2016 I began my graduate studies in Chemistry at Mississippi State University. My research interests include developing new laboratory experiments for undergraduate students and studying student partnership behaviors which occur in undergraduate teaching laboratories. I have completed four different research studies including developing two new laboratory experiments. One research focus has been evaluating the effects of five different laboratory partnerships established in General Chemistry laboratories. I am analyzing the lab partner impact towards student interactions, science attitudes and the perceived quality of their Chemistry learning.
I enjoy teaching in recitation classes designed for General Chemistry I students at Mississippi State University and assisting students with their homework, test preparations, and difficult theory and concepts.
I enjoy teaching in recitation classes designed for General Chemistry I students at Mississippi State University and assisting students with their homework, test preparations, and difficult theory and concepts.
Maggie Leake
Currently, I am working on a large-scale project concerning student confidence on exam topics, ability to predict exam scores, and exam performance across demographics in first-semester freshman chemistry courses. I am also developing an undergraduate laboratory for second-semester organic chemistry focused on a practical use of thin-layer chromatography as it would be applied in a real research lab. In the mean-time, I am finishing up data collection for further projects on both group quizzes and ChemDraw-centric worksheets in organic chemistry.
Outside of research, I serve as Vice President for the Chemistry Graduate Student Association (CGSA) at Mississippi State University, as well as one of the chemistry department representatives for the university’s Graduate Student Association (GSA). With CGSA, the other officers and I are currently planning the Lester Andrews Graduate Research Symposium and have previously planned a variety of fundraisers, meetings, help sessions for undergraduate students, and events for National Chemistry Week. I also teach the lab portion of Integrated Organic Chemistry, the organic chemistry sequence for chemistry majors at Mississippi State, and assisted with the most recent and ongoing organic chemistry lab manual revisions. Previously, I have enjoyed participating in outreach with the S-STEM project and hope to find more opportunities for outreach in the future.
Outside of research, I serve as Vice President for the Chemistry Graduate Student Association (CGSA) at Mississippi State University, as well as one of the chemistry department representatives for the university’s Graduate Student Association (GSA). With CGSA, the other officers and I are currently planning the Lester Andrews Graduate Research Symposium and have previously planned a variety of fundraisers, meetings, help sessions for undergraduate students, and events for National Chemistry Week. I also teach the lab portion of Integrated Organic Chemistry, the organic chemistry sequence for chemistry majors at Mississippi State, and assisted with the most recent and ongoing organic chemistry lab manual revisions. Previously, I have enjoyed participating in outreach with the S-STEM project and hope to find more opportunities for outreach in the future.
Lisa Smith
I am currently working on two projects: 1) A Case Study on Laboratory Leadership and Independence and 2) The Effects of Changing Laboratory Partners in General Chemistry. The summer project of Leadership and Independence used observations to document student interactions as students switched laboratory partners in General Chemistry. We observed that students became more independent and developed leadership skills when forced into new partner dynamics. My other project of the Effects of Changing Laboratory Partners is a large-scale study that was implemented in all General Chemistry I laboratory sections at Mississippi State University. This project is tracking how laboratory partner interactions affect student attitudes and academic performance.
I currently teach General Chemistry I recitation at Mississippi State, and do some coordinating of outreach to the community such as judging at local high school science fairs.
I currently teach General Chemistry I recitation at Mississippi State, and do some coordinating of outreach to the community such as judging at local high school science fairs.
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