Dr Linnea Soler
- Senior Lecturer (School of Chemistry)
telephone:
330-5345
email:
Linnea.Soler@glasgow.ac.uk
A4-36 (Level A4), School of Chemistry, Joseph Black Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Biography
Biography
- 1993 BSc with First Class Honours (School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Australia)
- 2000 PhD Chemistry (School of Chemistry, University of Sydney, Australia)
- 2003-2006 Post-Doctoral Research; Daphne Jackson Trust Research Fellow (University of Oxford, Dr JM Brown, F.R.S)
- 2003-2007 Senior Research Fellow at St Hilda’s College, non-stipendiary (University of Oxford)
- 2006-2007Post-Doctoral Research; Daphne Jackson Trust Research Fellow (transferred to University of Glasgow, Prof.Kocovský, F.R.S.C)
- 2007-2014 University Teacher in Organic Chemistry (School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow)
- 2014- Lecturer (School of Chemistry, University of Glasgow)
Research
- I designed and synthesised organometallic compounds using poly(1-pyrazolyl)methane ligands with the aim of asymmetric catalysis. I used multinuclear NMR techniques and x-ray crystallography to characterise my compounds as well delve into the inner working s of the reactions.
Scholarship
- I now focus on chemistry pedagogy and am active in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). I have a number of interests ranging from creative approaches to learning and teaching and active learning pedagogy. I am an early adopter of technology and a firm believer in the power of creative student partnerships. I champion blended learning approaches with a focus on inclusivity and I am using learning technology to create engaging and supportive learning environments to help students transition into university, to address barriers commonly found in both laboratory and lecture learning environments, and to build a sense of belonging and community. I am also active in the creation of resources for outreach in order to support learners in the wider community and to highlight the many career paths that a degree in Chemistry can offer.
Research interests
Chemistry & Heritage Science
Creative student partnerships with my final year SoTL project students and cross-disciplinary collaboration with my colleges in Art History (Dr Anity Quye) and in Archaeology (Dr Louisa Campbell) have led to the successful creation and evaluation of outreach teaching resources designed to support Advanced Higher Chemistry pupils. These teaching units employ gamification and object-based learning, all underpinned by genuine research, to produce a POGIL (process orientate guided inquiry learning) exercise that takes the students through "solving the mystery" exercises to reach the final deduction with each step designed to train the students and enhance their confidence with solving unseen problems. One unit is revolves around the first synthetic dye, Mauveine, and on organic analytical methods. The second unit focusses on historic pigments found on Roman sculptures found along the Antonine Wall and Hadrian's Wall and uses inorganic analytical methods for solving the mystery compounds.
Chemistry Laboratory Learning & Creation of e-Resources
My long-standing interest in enhancing and modernising the teaching, learning and assessment of undergraduate chemistry laboratories has led to various SoTL outputs which meant that I was able to support the rapid pivot to on-line laboratory learning in this year of Covid-19 with the creation of four complete online experiments: two for the Quantitative-1 labs and two for Synthesis-2 labs. These e-experiments were designed, created, deployed and evaluated in partnership with final year chemistry project students with a SoTL focus. These resources have been very successful and I look forward to disseminating our outputs in the near future.
Creative Approaches to Learning in Chemistry
I believe in the power of fun and play to enhance learning and understanding. Therefore, I am involved in the development and deployment of interactive resources, both face-to-face and online. Gamification to replace traditional teaching approaches captures my attention. This is core to many of my student co-created resources and analysis of our data shows strong support by our learners for this approach. We intend to disseminate our findings in the near future and intend to continue to keep the fun in learning.
Chemistry Analytical Methods, Practice & Scholarship (CHAMPS)
I have created this research group where our final year project students create resources to support the training of analytical methods in the School of Chemistry. These projects are led and supervised by members of our Chemistry Higher Education Research, Practice and Scholarship (CHERPS) group and we are building a library of resources that can be utilised across all years, from undergraduate to post-graduate. We look forward to dissemination our outputs this year with one project creating on-line Thin Layer Chromatography(TLC) training resourcess and the other project focussed on Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).
Chemistry partnered with Computer Science
Partnership with L3-Computer Science TEAMS students has led to the design and creation of bespoke databases to support both he calculations of course grades and the calculations of the degree classifications. These databases are designed to be compliant with the requirements of MyCampus for upload and downloads. Dr Smita Odedra and I have had the pleasure to work with and supervise these students for the past two years and we look forward to disseminating our outputs for this year.
Grants
- From Customised Labs for Students to Resource Pack for Staff (An interdisciplinary initiative with Engineering, Chemistry and Physics to develop video-based lab manuals)
Learning & Teaching Development Fund (LTDF, small bid, £2420).
Dr. Sajjad Hussain*, Dr Qammer H. Abbasi, Dr Linnea Soler, Dr Ciorsdaidh Watts, Dr Eric Yao, and Prof. Muhammad A. Imran. (2019-2020)
Supervision
Final Year Chemistry Project Supervision (BSc & MSci)
2020-21 |
BSc- Amy Carruthers: “Enhanced NMR Training: A proof-of-concept template for the creation, implementation, and evaluation of interactive e-resources designed to support the training of practical NMR spectroscopy skills” (Soler & Odedra) |
2020-21 |
BSc- Valerio Ruzza: “Design, creation and evaluation of two interactive Quant-1 e-experiments: a Covid-triggered rapid pivot to online labs” (Soler & Odedra) |
2020-21 |
BSc- Kane Doherty: “A TLC Case Study Focussing on Effective Online Learning: Assessing the impact of newly developed online resources on the student learning experience” (Soler & Watts) |
2020-21 |
BSc- Lewis Sym: “Impact of Online Synthesis-2 Laboratory Experiments on the Student Learning Experience: pedagogy-led resource development in response to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions” (Watts & Soler) |
2019-20 |
BSc- Craig Sproul: “Science of The Lost Pigments Using Roman Pigments to Teach Heritage Science” (Soler & Campbell)(Poster Prize Winner) |
2019-20 |
BSc- Jarrett Gray: “Impact of Videos and Quizzes Developed to Support Deeper Practical Learning in First Year Synthesis Labs” (Watts & Soler) |
2018-19 |
BSc- Adriana Iuliano: “Chemistry for Cultural Heritage: using Mauveine to teach Heritage Science” (Soler & Quye)(Poster Prize Winner) |
2017-18 |
BSc- Jason Eriksen: “Introduction of E-assessement: Exploring the Impact of Auto-Graded Online Reports with Instant Feedback for the Synthesis-1 Lab” (Soler & Watts) |
2017-18 |
BSc Catherine McKenna: “The Impact of E-Learning on the Student Learning Experience in the Synthesis-1 Chemistry Lab”(Watts & Soler) |
2017-18 |
BSc Jack Bullon: “Will New On-line E-Learning Resources Impact the Student Learning Experience?” (Watts & Soler) |
2017-18 |
MSci- Patrick Mckenna: “The Evolution and Legacy of Triarylmethane Dyes: Investigating Modern Versions of the First Family of Synthetic Organic Dyes for Characterisation and Heritage Conservation Applications” (Soler & Quye) |
2010-11 |
BSc- Bryony MacIntyre: “Liquid Gold: the Chemistry of Scotch Malt Whiskey” (Soler)(Poster Prize winner) |
2009-10 |
BSc- Aylson Ayton: “Silver(I) Nitrogen-Heterocyclic Carbenes and their Application to Catalysis and Transmetallation” (Soler |
Supervision of MSci (third year) Essays
2020-21 |
Cellulose nitrate: the degradation and conservation of museum objects (Alexandra Haiti, 2397099) |
2019-20 |
The History and Impact of Ponceau Dyes (Jason Archdeacon) |
2019-20 |
The History of Azo Orange Dyes (Sabrina Puddu) |
2018-19 |
Induline Dyes- Literature Review on the historic family of Induline Dyes (Medea Molinari, 2265301) |
2018-19 |
Modern and Historical Commercial Manufacture of Congo Red Dye for the Textile Industry (Antonio India,) |
2016-17 |
The Evolution of Safranine Dyes (Teodora Moiseanu) |
2016-17 |
Methyl Violet Dyes: A Literature Review (Ben Coles) |
2015-16 |
The Discovery and History of Aniline Blue Dye (Dylan Wilkinson) |
2015-16 |
Modern and Historical Commercial Manufacture of Aniline Yellow for the Textile Industry (Hannah Robertson) |
2015-16 |
Modern and Historical Commercial Manufacture of Aniline Green for the Textile Industry (Ilze Lace) |
2015-16 |
Modern and Historical Commercial Manufacture of Roseaniline for the Textile Industry (Blair Collins) |
Supervison of Compter Science (third year) Team Projects
2020-21 |
Data Base for Degree Calculations: Team Entropy (CS28) Alana Grant, Hieu Nguyen, Ekaterina Terzieva, Kien Welch, Yee Teoh |
2020-21 |
Data Base for Course Calculations: Team Db (CS35) Sonali Bhaskar, Andrew Yao, Chuyu Huang, George Iniatis, Fraser Paterson |
2019-20 |
Data Base for Degree Calculations: Team Hydrogen Kevin Lynch, Raghad Abdul Rab, Mihnea Maldaianu, Aiden Meikle, Mohammed Usman Majid |
2019-20 |
Data Base for Degree Calculations: Team Miracle Nikol Genkovska, Hakan Erkol, Haowen Li, Shengxian Liu, Kieran Swedlund |
Teaching
Lecture Courses
- Chem-1: Organic Chemistry (OC-2) (~600 students)(2020- )
- Chem-2X: Enols & Enolates (~200 students) (2007 - )
- Chem-2Y: Aromatic Chemistry (~200 students)(2016 - )
- Chem-3: Reactive Intermediates (~100 students) (2008 - 2009)
- Chem-4&5 (BSc, MSci & MSc): Asymmetric Synthesis (~80 students) (2008 – 2018)
Tutor
- Level 2: Chem-2X, Chem-2Y, & Organic-I&II (visiting students)
- Level 3: Chemistry & Chemical Studies organic chemistry students
- Level 4/5/PGT: organic chemistry students
Demonstrator
- Synthesis-1 Lab (2008- )
- Synthesis-2 Lab (2007- )
- Organic-3 Lab (2007- )
Supervisor
- Chem-2: Interactive Teaching Units Supervision
- Chem-3: MSci Essay supervisor
- Chem-3: (Chemical Studies) Project supervisor
- Chem-4: (BSc and MSci) Project Supervisor
- Chem-4M: Industrial Placement Supervisor
- Computer Science-3: (CS TEAMS) Project Supervisor
Lab Coordinator
- Synthesis-1 Laboratory: (2016-17)(~600 students )(organic and inorganic chemistry)
Advisor of Studies
- Levels 1-5: (2010-)
Class Head - Current (2015-)
- Final Year Chemistry: Chemistry and Chemistry with Medicinal Chemistry (Year 4 BSc & Year 5 MSci)
- Depute Class Head: Chemical Physics and Chemistry & Maths (Years 1-5)
Class Head - Previous (2008-2015)
- Second Year Chemistry (role at that time included coordinatins all tutorials, Interactive Teaching Units, Class Tests, Class Exams, Degree Exams, and Paper Setters)
Additional information
Professional Activities
- 2015- : Scottish Higher Education External Examiner for the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) Advanced Higher Chemistry Exam Papers
Awards
- 2020: University Teaching Excellence Award for Individual Excellence, Awarded, 18-June-20.
- 2021: Student Teaching Award of Best Practice in Online Learning, Shortlisted,12-Mar-21.
- 2021: Student Teaching Award of Best College Teacher (CoSE), Shortlisted, 12-Mar-21.
Organising Committee
- 2021: Variety in Chemistry Education / Physics Higher Education (#ViCEPHEC21) Conference (to be hosted by UoG, August 2021).
- 2021: RSC HE Teaching Fellows Group, National Winter Meeting (05March21).
- 2020: RSC Chemistry Education Network North (CERNN) at University of Strathclyde.
- 2019/20: UofG L&T Conference Steering Group member
Committees, Quality Assurance & Management
- 2019- : Chair of the Staff-Student Liaison Committee
- 2016-18: Chair School of Chemistry Learning & Teaching Committee (02/16 – 09/18)
- 2015- : Quality Assurance Officer
- 2015- : Exam Board Secretary
- 2016-19: UofG Gender Equality Steering Group
- 2013-17: AthenaSWAN Committee
- 2013-15: Chemical Studies Degree Development Committee
- 2012- : Royal Society of Chemistry Accreditation Committee
- 2012- : Periodic Subject Review Committee
- 2010- : Good Cause Committe