Summary
Janell Mahoney is a dedicated educator and faculty mentor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Nevada, Reno. She specializes in organic chemistry instruction and coordinates the organic chemistry laboratory program. Recognized as a Westfall Scholar Mentor, Dr. Mahoney is committed to student success, employing active learning strategies to enhance engagement, retention, and skill development in large-enrollment courses. Beyond teaching chemistry, she emphasizes the importance of critical thinking, collaboration, effective communication, and self-assessment to prepare students for their future careers. In addition to her instructional role, Dr. Mahoney serves as a Fellow on the Organic Chemistry Educational Resources (OrganicERs) leadership board, where she contributes to national efforts in advancing evidence-based teaching practices. She has developed and presented workshops on formative assessments and co-facilitates the "Active Learning in Organic Chemistry" workshop, helping to build a national community of practice among organic chemistry educators.
Honors and awards
- Westfall Scholar Mentor (2023)
Presentations and workshops on Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
- “A picture is worth a thousand words: Leveraging concept mapping to help students dissect the complexities of isomerism.” Oral presentation. 2024 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KT, United States, July 31, 2024.
- Houseknecht; J. Mahoney; L. Nickerson. “Active Learning in Organic Chemistry: Improve student learning and engagement with formative assessment and collaborative learning.” Workshop. 2024 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. University of Kentucky, Lexington, KT, United States, July 31, 2024.
Education
- Ph.D., Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, 2017
- B.S., Chemistry, University of Nevada, Reno, 2012