Department of Chemistry
A headshot of Daniel Collins

Daniel Collins
Instructional Associate Professor

Department of Chemistry
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 77843-3255

P: 979-845-3472
daniel.p.collins@tamu.edu

Current Activities

I am in my eighth year teaching at Texas A&M University after teaching at the University of South Carolina and Florida State. My teaching responsibilities include CHEM 227 Organic Chemistry I and has previously taught all of the General Chemistry courses in the First-Year Program (FYP). These courses are the foundation of our undergraduate studies, numerous majors and pre-professional programs. I enjoy helping students transition through these pre-requisite courses and into the intended areas of study.

Outside of teaching those courses, I have been active in the Department of Chemistry’s Hullabaloo U program, a first-year course designed to help incoming students with the transition to college students by giving them tips on study skills and time management, building community within their major, and helps discuss the possible issues and concerns of a new undergraduate student.

My current chemical education research activities include the use of different homework platforms and educational tools inside and outside of the classroom, the use of "Trouble Topic Videos" for students to remediate and reinforce sticking points throughout the semester, and diversifying the types of organic chemistry content found in his course.

I am a faculty member for the College of Science to the Aggie Honor Council for the past 6 years, the University Discipline Appeals Panel for the past 4 years, and the University Academic Appeals Panel for the past 3 years. These panels help the university community by overseeing the academic behavior, standards and regulations, and student conduct and Title IX regulations at Texas A&M. I was also a Faculty Senator from 2018-2019 and 2021 to present, and a Faculty Senate Executive Committee member from 2019-2020 and 2021-to present. The Faculty Senate is charged with helping promote shared governance between the administration and faculty at Texas A&M on various academic and professional issues.

In September of 2022, I was named Co-Director of Outreach for the Department of Chemistry. Our goal is to expand our events to help inspire, engage, and educate the next generation of up-and-coming STEM student. I have been a Question Reader and Science Judge for the Department of Energy (DOE) Junior and High School Science Bowls, hosted by Texas A&M, since 2016. I also enjoy being a judge for the Texas Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, Texas Junior Academy of Science, and Texas Science and Engineering Fair (TXSEF), which gives high school students the opportunity to present their research projects to A&M faculty and graduate students. I also have the distinction of being the Department of Chemistry Mole Mascot since 2015.

Outside of my work with the Department of Chemistry, I am an avid sports fan (GO CUBS!), runner, dog dad to Penny, cat dad to Stella, Dottie, Meredith Gray, and Leonard, Little League Baseball and Softball and PGA Tour volunteer.

Educational Background

  • B.S. in Chemistry, University of Dayton (2007)
  • Ph. D., Chemistry, University of South Carolina (2012)

Professional Experience

  • Lecturer – University of South Carolina (2012-2013)
  • Lecturer – Presbyterian College (2013)
  • Teaching Faculty – The Florida State University (2013-2015)

Awards & Recognition

  • 2019 Honoring Excellence Award – Department of Residence Life – February 2019
  • 2019 FISH Camp Namesake – Session D – Yellow – February 2019
  • 2020 McGraw-Hill ALEKS All-Star Educator of the Year – January 2021
  • 2021 Association of Former Students – College Level Teaching Award – College of Science – July 2021
  • 2022 Association of Former Students – University-Level Distinguished Teaching Award – April 2022

Leadership, Community Outreach, & Departmental Service

  • Faculty Member – Aggie Honor Council (2017-2022)
  • Faculty Member - University Discipline Appeals Panel (2018-2022)
  • Faculty Member - Texas A&M Faculty Senate (2018-2020, 2021-2022)
  • Executive Committee Member – Texas A&M Faculty Senate (2019-20, 2021-22)
  • Instructor – Hullabaloo U First-Year Experience
  • Mole Mascot - Texas A&M University Chemistry Open House (2015-2022)
  • Presenter – Faculty/Advisor Insights – Texas A&M New Student Conferences (NSC) – (2022)
  • Co-Director of Outreach – Department of Chemistry (2022)

Publications/Conferences

  • Collins, D.P.; Johnson, E.; Coulter, E.D.; Beharry, Z.; Ballou, D.P; Dawson, J.H. Caught in the Act: Monitoring O-O Bond Cleavage in Acylperoxoferric Cytochrome P450cam to Form Compound I in Real Time. (2022) Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 236, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2022.111949

Invited Seminars, Talks, & Workshops

  • "Increased Teaching Assistant Training and Pedagogy Techniques to Increase Retention and Success of First-Year Students in General Chemistry Courses" Collins, D.; Gordon Research Conference – Chemistry Education Research and Practice (June 2019) – Poster Presenter – Lewis, ME.
  • "The Tape Doesn't Lie": Recording TAs to Increase Teaching Training" Collins, D.; AACU Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference (November 2019) – Facilitated Discussion – Chicago, IL.
  • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations" Collins, D. and Risica, G.; Southwest-Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting (November 2019) – Oral Presentation – El Paso, TX
  • "Chemistry reinforcement module: ALEKS summer prep used as an early warning" Collins, D., Bethel, R., and McCartney, S.; Southwest-Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting (November 2019) – Oral Presentation – El Paso, TX
  • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations" Collins, D. and Risica, G.; 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference (April 2020) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference was cancelled on March 28, 2020.
  • ""The Tape Doesn't Lie": Recording TAs to Increase Teaching Training" Collins, D.; 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference (April 2020) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Transformational Teaching and Learning Conference was cancelled on March 28, 2020.
  • "Using Technology to Help First-Year Students with Time Management, Campus Transportation, Scheduling and Budgeting" Collins, D.; 2020 Hullabaloo U All Instructor Symposium (May 2020) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX
  • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations . Collins, D.; Risica, G. 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. Abstract accepted March 31, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education was terminated on April 2, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Division of Chemical Education, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
  • "Tape doesn't lie: Recording teaching assistants while they are teaching to increase the effectiveness of a professional development program." Collins, D. 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education. Abstract accepted March 31, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education was terminated on April 2, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Division of Chemical Education, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
  • "Using Technology to Help Your Students Connect With Faculty: Five Tips and Applications to Keep Your Classroom Going During Uncertain Times" Collins, D.; 2020 Department of Veterinary Pathobiology Seminar Series (September 21, 2020) – Invited Oral Presentation (Digital) – College Station, TX
  • "Taking the Panic out of the Pandemic: 5 Tips to Surviving the Strangest Freshman Year for College Students" Collins, D. 2020 Texas A&M University Honor Program "Pasta and Prof" Presentation (October 7, 2020) – Invited Oral Presentation (Digital) – College Station, TX
  • "Using the ALEKS organic preparatory course to help off-sequence students succeed in first-semester organic chemistry" Collins, D. 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting. Abstract accepted September 9, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting was terminated on September 15th, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Section:, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
  • "Doodle polls and trouble topic videos: Listening to student concerns and the creation of online problem explanations" Collins, D. 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting. Abstract accepted September 9, 2020. Because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 SERMACS/SWRM Regional Meeting was terminated on September 15th, 2020, by the Executive Committee of the Louisiana Section:, American Chemical Society; and, therefore, this presentation could not be given as intended.
  • "Lightboards and Asynchronous Lectures: Improving Content and Problem Discussions for Students" Collins, D.; Risica, G. National Institute on Scientific Teaching SI Happy Hour (September 25, 2020– Oral Presentation (Digital).
  • "Using Light Board Technology to Give an Online "Face-to-Face" Interaction" Collins, D.; AACU Transforming STEM Higher Education Conference (November 2020) – Facilitated Discussion – Online.
  • "Metacognition and Self-Efficacy: Helping Students THINK About Thinking" Collins, D.; 2021 Hullabaloo U All Instructor Symposium (May 2021) – Oral Presentation – College Station, TX
  • "Doodle Poll and Trouble Topic Videos: Listening to Student Concerns and the Creation of  Online Problem Explanations" Collins, D.; American Chemical Society - Fall Conference (August 2021) – Poster Session – Online.
  • "Am I Absolutely Sure What Direction I am Going: 5 Tips for 'Coming Back to Campus'" Collins, D.; Federation of Texas A&M University Mothers' Club – Fall Dinner (August 2021) – Invited Keynote Speaker – College Station, TX.
  • “Discussing Diversity, Inclusion, and Looking Forward at Texas A&M” Collins, D.; FISH AIDES Student Organization – November Meeting (November 2021) – Invited Keynote Speaker – College Station, TX.
  • “How to Exemplify the Core Values of Texas A&M” Collins, D.; ASSIST Student Organization – November Meeting (November 2021) – Invited Keynote Speaker – College Station, TX.