In her 24 years in UALR’s chemistry department, instructor Marian Douglas has discovered a lasting truth about public service – the richest reward comes from establishing relationships.
Marian Douglas – College of Science and Mathematics
“Interacting with people is the reason I teach,” Douglas said. “This is just another way to interact with people. And as a teacher, I find that I learn best from other teachers, so being able to share ideas and other methods and teaching knowledge with them is the way they learn and the way I learn.”
Douglas interacts with local teachers at all levels, providing support for their professional development efforts. A No Child Left Behind grant funded a science academy for middle and high school teachers at the Arkansas School for Math, Science and the Arts in Hot Springs, and she served as the organizing force behind the residential summer camp.
In addition to her work with Arkansas’ teachers, Douglas strives to bring activities designed to enrich science education to the state’s next generation of scientists. She serves as a leader for the nationally recognized UALR affiliate of the American Chemical Society, encouraging its members to engage in service learning and share their enthusiasm for science with high school students. Douglas also organizes the state’s Chemistry Olympiad, helping the brightest high school students in Arkansas prepare for national competition.
Douglas earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in science education from Arkansas State University. She began her career as a physics and chemistry teacher in Jonesboro’s West Side School District and has been a long-time member of the American Chemical Society’s Division of Chemical Education and director for the Arkansas Junior Academy of Science.