Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search
Profile image of Chris Armstrong

Dr Chris Armstrong

Post Nominals SFHEA
Biography Chris is a lecturer in Physical Chemistry, and current Deputy Director of Education in the School of Natural Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics) within the Faculty of Science and Engineering.

His current responsibilities within Chemistry include project coordination, assessment scrutiny, running the Physical Chemistry laboratories, and lecturing in thermodynamics, acids and bases, spectroscopy and green chemistry. While across the School of Natural Sciences, he assists the Director of Education in overseeing the Transforming Programmes initiative, sharing best teaching practices amongst the diverse range of scientists within the school, and developing new courses and content.

He completed a PhD at the University of York in 2013 focusing on the chemical mechanisms of rhodium-based C-H and H-H activation photocatalysts. Previously, he has worked at in the University of Sheffield, running inorganic chemistry teaching labs and lecturing on green chemistry, and at the University of Birmingham lecturing on quantum mechanics, atomic spectroscopy and kinetics.
Research Interests Chris' research and development focuses on education within chemistry and how students approach their studies.

This has included projects in collaboration with undergraduate students assessing the mental health, authentic assessment and representations of chemistry (such as the Johnstone triad/triangle).

One ongoing project has been mental health impact of teaching laboratories, the transition to higher education and the COVID-19 pandemic's effect on assessment. Throughout these projects at Hull, we have seen how students relate to their studies, their identities as students and scientists, and how they relate to their study spaces at home and on campus.

Within Chemistry, we have piloted and reviewed authentic and diverse assessments to assess competencies, in line with the competency-led curriculum of the University of Hull. To do this, we have implemented flexible portfolios for assessment, where students can contribute evidence that they have met and passed stated criteria in a variety of ways, tailored to their personal strengths and interest. We are beginning to see an impact of this on how students approach building and maintaining their CV to make them more employable in their future careers.
Teaching and Learning Deputy Director of Education (School of Natural Sciences)

Teaching:
• Physical Chemistry Teaching Labs
-- 1st year Physical Chemistry
-- 2nd year Physical-Inorganic Chemistry
-- 2nd year Spectroscopic Methods Lab
-- 3rd year Advanced Physical Chemistry

• 400049 - Organic Chemistry and the Analytical Approach
-- Acids, Bases and Solutions

• 400056 - Chemical Structure and Physical Chemistry
-- Thermodynamics I

• 500057 - Spectroscopic Methods
-- Physical Spectroscopy and Elementary Quantum Mechanics

• 500060 - Inorganic Chemistry, Statistical Thermodynamics and Quantum Mechanics
-- Quantum Mechanics

• 500061 - Computational and Employability Skills
-- Excel for Chemists
-- Data visualisation
-- Computational Chemistry

• 662053 - Group Project
-- Module lead
-- Project coordinator

• 700076 - Extended Research Project
-- Module lead
-- Project coordinator
-- Undergraduate Symposium Coordinator
Scopus Author ID 57194796767