Judith Poë

Judith C. Poë

M.Sc, D.I.C. | Professor Emerita | Chemistry | Bioinorganic Chemistry & Chemistry Education

Research Areas:

Problem-based learning, service learning

Research Profile:

Poe Research

My interests in bioinorganic chemistry focus on metalloenzyme mechanisms and the design of inorganic complexes to mimic the functionality of copper and iron containing oxidases and oxygenases.  A portion of CHM333H involves the study of metals in medicine.  We look at a number of enzymes with binuclear metal centers and their implication in diseases as well as at the use of metal complexes in chemotherapy.

Recent work in chemistry education involves the active learning pedagogies, problem-based learning and service learning.  PBL is a process by which the content and methods of a discipline are learned in an environment in which they are to be used to address a real-world problem. The key feature is that the learning process is initiated by the problem. The problem, in effect, directs the learning. This contrasts with the more usual instruction in which problems are used to illustrate how to use the knowledge after it has been learned or to test what knowledge has been learned. Service learning combines credit-bearing coursework with community service and critical reflection. In response to needs identified by community partners, students provide service related to their discipline. In the process they acquire content knowledge, skills knowledge, and socially relevant knowledge of their discipline’s role in society.

Courses Taught:

CHM333H, CPS401Y

Publications

Armstrong, D., Murck, B. and Poë, J. “A Service Learning Opportunity for Undergraduate Science Students: Integrating Problem-Based Learning in the High School Science Curriculum,” Journal of Chemical Education 98 (4), 1275-1282 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c01275. 

Armstrong, D. and Poë, J. “The Science of Human Health—A Context-Based Chemistry Course for Non-Science Majors Incorporating Systems Thinking” Journal of Chemical Education 97 (11), 3957–3965 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00887

Poë, J. “A Service Learning Partnership between the University of Toronto Mississauga and Ontario Secondary Schools” 53-55 in The Scholarship of Leading: Mini-cases of Educational Leadership in Action, ed. C. Rolheiser, A. Carbone, E. Macnab, J. Ye, Centre for Teaching Support & Innovation, University of Toronto, http://aautn.org/resources (2019)

Armstrong, D., Pugliese, S., and Poë, J. “A Service Learning University Partnership with Secondary Schools,” 102nd Canadian Chemistry Conference & Exhibition, Quebec City, QC (2019).

Armstrong, D., and Poë, J. “Sustainability through Public Health Awareness,” 102nd Canadian Chemistry Conference & Exhibition, Quebec City, QC (2019).

Burazin, A., and Poë, J. “Foundational Numeracy Initiative for the Sciences,” 102nd Canadian Chemistry Conference & Exhibition, Quebec City, QC (2019).

Erdogan, F., and  Poë, J. “Introducing Global, Sustainable Development to the General Chemistry Curriculum,” 102nd Canadian Chemistry Conference & Exhibition, Quebec City, QC (2019).

Poë, J. “Chemistry and Human Health: A SENCER Model Course,” 100th Canadian Chemistry Conference & Exhibition, Toronto, ON (2017).

Poë, J., Mahaffy, P. and Kennepohl, D., “First-Year Experience: Learning in Context,” 99th Canadian Chemistry Conference & Exhibition, Halifax, NS. (2016).

Poë, J.,  Active Learning Pedagogies for the Future of Global Chemistry Education, pp 279- 300 in Chemistry Education: Best Practices, Opportunities and Trends, ed. J. Garcia-Martinez and E. Serrano-Torregrosa, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, (2015).