Bussey, Thomas
Chemical Education: Visual Literacy in Science, Biochemistry Education, Nano Science Education, K-20 Professional Development, and STEM Career Development
Chemical Education: Visual Literacy in Science, Biochemistry Education, Nano Science Education, K-20 Professional Development, and STEM Career Development
Contact Information
Associate Teaching Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry
Office: Urey Hall 2258
Phone: 858-822-6665
Email: tbussey@ucsd.edu
Group: View group members
Office: Urey Hall 2258
Phone: 858-822-6665
Email: tbussey@ucsd.edu
Group: View group members
Education
2013 Ph.D., Chemistry (Chemical Education), University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2008 M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction (Secondary Science with an Emphasis in Technology), University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2004 B.S., Music and Biochemistry (Honors), University of Wisconsin, Madison
2013 Ph.D., Chemistry (Chemical Education), University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2008 M.Ed., Curriculum and Instruction (Secondary Science with an Emphasis in Technology), University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2004 B.S., Music and Biochemistry (Honors), University of Wisconsin, Madison
Appointments
2020-present Associate Teaching Professor, University of California, San Diego
2014-2020 Assistant Teaching Professor, University of California San Diego
2013-2014 Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
2020-present Associate Teaching Professor, University of California, San Diego
2014-2020 Assistant Teaching Professor, University of California San Diego
2013-2014 Visiting Assistant Professor, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Awards and Academic Honors
2024-2025
AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship
2023-2024
Equity Assessment Fellowship
2020-2021
Lattimer Research Fellowship
2020
Distinguished Teaching Award
2013
Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award
2013
Outstanding Chemistry Graduate Student Award
2012
UNLV Graduate and Professional Student Association Merit Award
2012
K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award (Finalist)
2009
Distinguished Educator Award
Research Interests
Visual Literacy in Science: Students cannot directly observe molecules interacting with one another or their environment. Instead, students are often presented with representations that model particular structures and/or interactions. Therefore, students’ ability to decode these representations is a fundamental process in learning of chemistry, and more broadly in the teaching and learning of science.
Biochemistry Education: My science background has focused on biochemistry. As such, my interests in chemical education research has also focused on biochemistry. Upper-level sciences, such as biochemistry, are underrepresented in the chemical education research literature. My research has focused on qualitative analysis of biochemistry students’ perceptions of biochemical processes such as protein translation.
Nano Science Education: Nano science research is a relatively new field of research (within the last 50 years or so). Nano Science education research is even more recent. We are exploring how researchers think about this emergent field and how best to integrate this topic into the classroom.
K-20 Professional Development: Projects such as MIST (Mathematics Integrated with Science through Technology) and ACELL (Advancing Chemistry by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory) target middle and high school teachers as well as college chemistry faculty to develop their understanding of science and math content or research-based laboratory pedagogies.
STEM Career Development: Project STEER (Scholarships to Enhance Excellence in the Chemical and Biological Research-based Workforce) aims to track and improve the STEM pipeline from undergraduate STEM majors into the bioscience industry.
Biochemistry Education: My science background has focused on biochemistry. As such, my interests in chemical education research has also focused on biochemistry. Upper-level sciences, such as biochemistry, are underrepresented in the chemical education research literature. My research has focused on qualitative analysis of biochemistry students’ perceptions of biochemical processes such as protein translation.
Nano Science Education: Nano science research is a relatively new field of research (within the last 50 years or so). Nano Science education research is even more recent. We are exploring how researchers think about this emergent field and how best to integrate this topic into the classroom.
K-20 Professional Development: Projects such as MIST (Mathematics Integrated with Science through Technology) and ACELL (Advancing Chemistry by Enhancing Learning in the Laboratory) target middle and high school teachers as well as college chemistry faculty to develop their understanding of science and math content or research-based laboratory pedagogies.
STEM Career Development: Project STEER (Scholarships to Enhance Excellence in the Chemical and Biological Research-based Workforce) aims to track and improve the STEM pipeline from undergraduate STEM majors into the bioscience industry.
Primary Research Area
Chemical Education
Chemical Education
Interdisciplinary interests
Cellular Biochemistry
Selected Publications See https://pubs.acs.org/doi/book/10.1021/bk-2019-1337
- Randa, L., Wang, S., Poolos, Z., Figueroa, V., Bridgeman, A., Bussey, T. J. & Song, R.-J. "Exploring undergraduate students’ gesture production through an embodied framework.", CBE-Life Sciences Education, 2024, Vol. 23, Issue 2, 1-17 [View]
- Wang, S., Song, R.-J., Reinholz, D., & Bussey, T. J. "Equity analysis of an augmented reality-mediated group activity in a college biochemistry classroom.", Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 2023, Vol. 60, Issue 9, 1942-1966 [View]
- Rabin, J. M., Burgasser, A., Bussey, T. J., Eggers, J., Lo, S. M., Seethaler, S., Stevens, L. & Weizman, H. "Interdisciplinary conversations in STEM education: can faculty understand each other better than their students do?", International Journal of STEM Education, 2021, Vol. 8, Issue 1, 1-10 [View]
- Bussey, T. J., Lo, S. M., & Rasmussen, C "Theoretical frameworks for STEM education research", Handbook of research on STEM education, 2020, [View]
- Seethaler, S., Burgasser, A. J., Bussey, T. J., Eggers, J., Lo, S. M., Rabin, J. M., Stevens, L. & Weizman, H. "A research-based checklist for development and critique of STEM instructional videos", Journal of College Science Teaching, 2020, Vol. 50, Issue 1, 21-27 [View]
- Bussey, TJ & Orgill M "Biochemistry instructors’ use of intentions for student learning to evaluate and select external representations of protein translation", Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 2019, Vol. 20, 787-803
- Linenberger Cortes, K., House, C., Lewis, R., Krishna, S., Kammerdiener, K., Tamayo, M., & Bussey, T. J. "Quantifying the Types of Representations Used in Common Biochemistry Textbooks", Biochemistry education: From theory to practice, 2019, [View]
- Bussey TJ & Orgill M "What do biochemistry students pay attention to in external representations of protein translation? The case of the Shine–Dalgarno sequence", Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 2015,
- Orgill M, Bussey TJ, Bodner GM "Biochemistry instructors' perceptions of analogies and their classroom use", Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 2015,
- Bussey TJ, & Orgill M "Plenty of Room at the Bottom for Nano Education", Journal of Nano Education, 2014, Vol. 6, Issue 2, 81-82
- Bussey TJ, Litster ME, Ho W, Wood SA, & Orgill M "Using a Field in Flux to Discuss Nature of Science in the Classroom: The Case of Defining Self-Assembly", Journal of Nano Education, 2014, Vol. 6, Issue 2, 157-168
- Bussey TJ, Orgill M, & Crippen KJ "Variation theory: A theory of learning and a useful theoretical framework for chemical education research", Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 2013, Vol. 14, Issue 1, 9-22