David Harpp

David Noble Harpp is a Canadian chemist, science communicator and award-winning university teacher. He holds the Tomlinson Chair in Science Education at McGill University.

David Harpp

PhD
OccupationProfessor of Chemistry
Known forScience education
TitleTomlinson Chair in Science Education at McGill University
Board member ofEditorial Board, Journal of Sulfur Chemistry; Board of Governors, McGill University
AwardsUnion Carbide Award for Chemical Education, National Catalyst Award, McNeil Medal for the Public Awareness of Science, Edward Leete Award, Michael Smith Award for the promotion of science
Academic background
EducationPh.D. Organic Chemistry
Alma materUniversity of North Carolina
Academic work
DisciplineOrganic Chemistry
Sub-disciplineOrganosulfur, selenium
InstitutionsMcGill University, Faculty of Science
Main interestsTeaching innovations

Harpp published more than 230 chemistry articles in peer-reviewed publications, his main research interest being organosulfur and selenium molecules. In addition, 20 of his articles on teaching innovation were published. He was appointed as Tomlinson Chair in Science Education in 2013, with the mandate to "advance the understanding and practice of science education".[1]

With Joseph Schwarcz and Ariel Fenster, Harpp is a founding member of the Office for Science and Society.[2][3][4]

Harpp experimented throughout his teaching career with various visual media, from photographic slides to 8mm movies. With his colleagues at the Office for Science and Society, he pioneered the McGill COurses ONline initiative. A proponent of massive open online courses, Harpp thinks students can benefit from having access these academic opportunities: "What if the best organic chemistry course, anywhere, was put on by somebody from, say, the University of Illinois, why shouldn’t we [assign it at our university]?"[5][6]

Harpp is also interested in academic integrity.[4] He followed up on his research on the prevalence of cheating by university students by inventing (with others) a computer program that spots cheating in multiple-answer exams. Use of the software, with the introduction of multiple versions of each exam, is credited to practically eliminating this type of cheating at McGill's: "I think 90 per cent of the students who tend to cheat will [look at all the obstacles] and say, 'Nah.'"[7][8][6]

Harpp did his Bachelor of Arts at Middlebury College (1959), his Masters at Wesleyan University (1962) and his Ph.D. at the University of North Carolina (1965).[9]

Selected awards
YearAward
1982Union Carbide Award for Chemical Education, Chemical Institute of Canada.[4]
Leo Yaffe Award for Excellence in Teaching (Inaugural Award), McGill University Faculty of Science.[4][6]
1988National Catalyst Award, Chemical Manufacturer's Association.[4]
1992McNeil Medal for the Public Awareness of Science (Inaugural Award), Royal Society of Canada (with A. Fenster and J. Schwarcz).[4][10]
1993Le Prix Beppo science education award, "Les Petits Débrouillards" (with A. Fenster and J. Schwarcz).[4]
1995Edward Leete Award (Inaugural Award), Organic Division, American Chemical Society.[4]
1996David Thomson Award for Excellence in Graduate Supervision and Teaching, McGill University Graduate Faculty.[4][6]
John A. Timm Award for Furtherance of the Study of Chemistry, New England Association of Chemistry Teachers.[4][11]
Michael Smith Award for the promotion of science, Government of Canada.[4]
19983M Teaching Fellow, Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.[4][6]
2000Doctor of Science (honoris causa), Acadia University.[4]
2001Principal's Prize for Excellence in Teaching (Inaugural Award), Full Professor Category, McGill University.[4][6]
2003James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry, Northeast Section of the American Chemical Society.[4][12]
2012Doctor of Laws (honoris causa), Guelph University.[4]
2015Science Promotion Prize, Canadian Council of Biology Chairs.[4]

References
  1. McDevitt, Neale (June 3, 2013). "Harpp named Tomlinson Chair in University Science Teaching". McGill Reporter. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  2. "McGill Office for Chemistry and Society". McGill UNiversity. September 15, 1999. Archived from the original on June 9, 2018. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  3. Seidman, Karen (16 November 2011), "Dr. Joe serves notice to quacks: $5.5-million gift for Office for Science", The Montreal Gazette, archived from the original on 19 January 2012, retrieved June 9, 2018
  4. "David Harpp PhD - Founding Member". McGill University. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  5. Saadeh, Omar (March 14, 2013). "McGill's online movement, circa 2000". The McGill Daily. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  6. Lejtenyi, Patrick (October 2016). "Pedagogical powerhouse". McGill News. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  7. McCabe, Daniel (March 23, 2000). "Slice of life: Do you know where your cheaters are?". The McGill Reporter. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  8. Gillis, Alex (July 10, 2016). "Academic cheating: Half of students do it. Is McMaster University doing enough to stop it?". The Hamilton Spectator. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  9. "Department of Chemistry: David Harpp". McGill University. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  10. "Fenster, Harpp, Schwarcz earn first McNeil Medal". 1993. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  11. "The John A. Timm Award". New England Association of Chemistry Teachers. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  12. "Kudos". McGill Reporter. November 13, 2003. Retrieved June 25, 2018.


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