Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Faculty Assistant for Teaching and Learning
Professor of Chemistry
abaranger@berkeley.edu
213 Lewis Hall
(510) 642-0336
Baranger Research Group
Research Interests
Chemical Education, Curricular Development, and Assessment. The chemistry department at the University of California, Berkeley serves a large population of undergraduate and graduate students and is a national and international leader in research. Therefore, the chemistry department is positioned to be a leader in the development of innovative programs in chemistry education that impact a large number of students. An overall goal our work is to increase the numbers of students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and improve the scientific knowledge of both STEM students and students who do not ultimately choose to major in a STEM area. Our research focuses on developing evidence-based educational practices that teach rigorous chemical content and authentic scientific practices and make undergraduates’ education more accessible, more enjoyable, and more relatable. We are pursuing several projects: 1) Documenting and improving student learning in undergraduate research experiences, 2) Investigating and improving problem solving in organic courses, 3) Developing a near-peer teaching and mentoring program, and 4) Integrating green chemistry and authentic practice in laboratory instruction.
Biography
- B.S. in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1988
- Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 1993
- Postdoctoral fellow at Yale University with Professor Alanna Schepartz from 1993-1996
- Wesleyan University chemistry faculty in 1996
- University of Illinois chemistry faculty in 2006
- Joined the University of California, Berkeley, in 2011.
- Recipient of the Rudolph Anderson Postdoctoral Fellowship (1993-95)
- Recipient of the Donaghue Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship (1995)
- Recipient of the Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship (2002-2004)
- Recipient of the ACS-CEI Award for Incorporation of Sustainability into Chemistry Education (2015)