Dr. Diana Mason
Associate Professor, Chemistry Education
Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, 1994
Dr. Mason received her B.A. in 1974 from The University of Texas at Austin and her M.S. in 1978 from Texas A & M University, Commerce. Following 10 years of teaching high school chemistry and mathematics at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, she returned to The University of Texas at Austin and received her Ph.D. in 1994. She joined the UNT faculty in 2001 after teaching at The University of Texas at San Antonio for six years.
Teaching and Research Interests
Dr. Mason's research interests lie in the field of chemical education specifically highlighting high school preparation for freshmen chemistry and the study of general chemistry. She is interested in the improvement of the teaching and learning strategies for general chemistry and in science teacher preparation. Her work involves issues related to student difficulties in solving problems, misconceptions, and web-based learning. Two other ongoing research projects address how students develop the technical vocabulary associated with the study of chemistry and how in-service teachers benefit from authentic experiences in research laboratories.
Dr. Mason is a multiyear honoree in Who's Who Among America's Teachers. She currently serves as the Secondary School Section Editor for the Journal of Chemical Education, and on the American Chemical Society's Division of Chemical Education's Committee on Chemical Education Research. She is a past president of the Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas, and is actively involved in outreach programs that present chemical demonstration shows to elementary school students and their teachers. One of her new endeavors at UNT will be to revise the existing Master's program in Natural Philosophy by enhancing the chemical education research component.
Selected Publications
"Summer Scientific Research for Teachers: The Experience and its Effect," J. F. Westerlund, D. M. Garcia, J. R. Koke, T. A. Taylor, and D. S. & Mason, Journal of Science Teacher Education, 13, 63-83 (2002).
"Evaluating Success of Hispanic-Surname Students in First-Semester General Chemistry," D. Mason and K. C. Mittag, J. Chem. Educ., 78, 256 (2001).
"Gateway to Success for At-Risk Students in a Large-Group Introductory Chemistry Class," D. Mason, and E. Verdel, Chemical Education Research feature in J. Chem. Educ., 78, 252 (2001).
"A Survey of Doctoral Programs in Chemical Education in the United States," D. Mason, J. Chem. Educ., 78, 158 (2001).
"Cultural Factors in Science Education: Variables Affecting Achievement, K. C. Mittag and D. S. Mason, J. Coll. Sci. Teach., 28, 307 (1999).
"Life after ChemCom: Do these Students Succeed in University Level Chemistry Courses?" The Texas Science Teacher, 27(1), 1 (1998).
"Differences in Problem Solving of Nonscience Majors in Introductory Chemistry on Paired Algorithmic-Conceptual Problems," D. S. Mason, D. F. Shell, and F. E. Crawley, J. Res. Sci. Teach., 34, 905 (1997).
