Dr Bill Byers
e-mail: w.byers@ulster.ac.uk
Bill Byers has taught chemistry on a variety of courses from sub-degree to postgraduate
level to a wide range of students studying many disciplines for over 40 years. He has
continued teaching, researching and examining part-time since retiring as a senior
lecturer in Chemistry at the University of Ulster (United Kingdom) at the end of 2008. His
initial research interests in bioinorganic and environmental chemistry gradually gave
way to an interest in teaching and student learning with a particular interest in
developing independent learners. Over the past decade he has been involved in several
working groups within the European Chemistry Thematic Network and has acted as
group leader for the working groups dealing with developing independent learners in
chemistry and innovative approaches to university chemistry education (jointly with Ingo
Eilkes). He has published a number of papers on chemical education and presented his
work at several international conferences He has acted as external examiner for several
chemistry courses in Ireland and Malaysia and a number of MSc dissertations on science
education. He has received a number of awards for his teaching including the 2002 Royal
Society of Chemistry tertiary education award
Academic and Professional Qualifications
1964
BSc Chemistry (1st Class Honours)
UMIST
1967
PhD
University of Manchester
1977
MRSC CChem
1995
FRSC
1996-2001 RSC Register of Health & Safety Specialists
2000
Postgraduate Certificate in University Teaching University of Ulster
2001
Member of the Institute of Learning and Teaching/HE Academy
Brief Outline of Career History
1998-2008 Present position
1984-1998 Lecturer
1978-1984 Senior Lecturer
1972-1978 Lecturer II
1970-1972 Postdoctoral Fellow
1968-1970 Postdoctoral Fellow
1967-1968 Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Ulster
University of Ulster
Ulster Polytechnic
Ulster Polytechnic
Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory Oxford
University of Pittsburgh
University of Alberta
Teaching Experience:
40 years
Distinguished Teaching Award (UU) 1996
Distinguished Teaching Fellowship (UU) 2001
RSC Silver Medal and Tertiary Education Award 2002
Teaching Interests:
Inorganic Chemistry, Radiochemistry, Bioinorganic
Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Spectroscopy and Group
Theory, Environmental Chemistry, Occupational Hygiene and
Health and Safety.
Teaching Expertise:
Professional Activities
2000-2010
2003-2005
2003-2006
20052005-2009
2005-2010
Incomplete Hand-outs, Questioning, Audience Response
Systems, Open-ended experiments, Group Laboratory
Classes, Context and Problem Based Learning, Traditional
Group Work, Case Studies, Role play, Study Diaries, General
Pedagogy, Reflection and Metacognition, Learning Outcomes
and Constructive Alignment .
Activity Coordinator and Judge, Salters Festival of Chemistry
District Member for Ireland on the RSC Council
Member of the Education and Qualifications Board, RSC
National Judge for the Rolls-Royce Science Prize
Member of the Higher Education Academy Physical Sciences
Centre Advisory Committee.
Member of the European Chemistry Thematic Network
Management Committee.
Publications and Communications
Byers, B.,
(2011). Using ‘Learning Logs’ to promote the development of
self-regulated learners. Journal of Science Education, 12, 28-31
Eilks, I. and.,
(2010). The need for innovative methods of teaching
Byers, B
and learning chemistry in higher education - Reflections from a
project of the European Thematic Network, Chemistry Education
Research and Practice, 11, 241-252.
Byers, B.,
(2007). ECTN (The European Chemistry Thematic Network):
Promoting Cooperation, Harmony, Synergy and Innovation
throughout the EC’, Proceedings of the 2nd European Variety in
Chemical Education Conference, (Prague), 216 – 220.
Byers, B.,
(2007). Opening the Portal to Self-regulated Learning: Using
Learning Logs to Develop Metacognitive Skills, Proceedings of the
41st IUPAC Congress, (Turin), 242.
Byers B.,
(2007). Opening the Portal to Self-regulated Learning: Using
Learning Logs to Develop Metacognitive Skills, Proceedings of the
41st IUPAC Congress, (Turin), 242.
Byers, W. and
(2005). The Midwich Cuckoos revisited: promoting learning through
Wilkins, H.,
peer group work, Proceedings of the Science Learning and Teaching
Conference (University of Warwick), 90-95.
Byers, B. et al.,
(2004). The customer is always right! The need to rethink secondary
school chemistry education, Proceedings of the 7th Educational
Conference on Research in Chemical Education, (Ljubljana, Slovenia),
58-61.
Byers, B.,
(2002). Cultured Pearls or Tasty Truffles: Teaching Chemistry for
the 21st Century, Chemistry in Action, 66, 20-26
Byers, B.,
(2002). Promoting active learning through small group laboratory
classes, Univ. Chem. Educ., 6, 28-34.
Byers, B.,
(2001). Using student led Pre- and Post-labs Sessions to Promote
Active earning in Practical Classes, Proceedings of the 2nd European
conference on Chemical Education, (Aveiro, Portugal), 131-133.
Byers, W.,
(2001). Using questions to promote active learning in lectures, Univ.
Chem. Educ., 5, 24-30.
Byers, W.,
(1999). Our Vulnerable Atmosphere”, Chemistry in Action, 59, 4-10.
Book:
Eilks, I. and Byers, B. (Eds.), (2009). Innovative methods in teaching and learning chemistry
in higher education. Cambridge: RSC Publishing.