Dr. Parul Kumar won the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 Teacher of Merit award. She has a PhD in Medicinal chemistry from Central Drug Research Institute. An educator at heart, Parul Kumar taught Organic Chemistry at Suffolk University, and is currently teaching Advance placement Chemistry at Lexington High School. She is passionate about educating young minds to prepare them for College and careers. She has received many awards in education including Teacher of the year from Northeastern region of American Chemical Society.
She enjoys painting, singing, acting, reading books, and traveling. She also volunteers at many non-profit organizations, which are working towards worthy cause such as EKAL, Vision Aid, Support a Child, Wholistic health Alliance and others.
Congratulations on winning the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 Teacher of Merit award. Can you tell us a little about the award and what the award means to you?
The Regeneron Science Talent Search-Teacher of Merit award is given every year to an educator who mentors students for STEM research. The students I work with participate in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which is a significant achievement. Some of the entries are recognized for innovation and creativity. This is the third time I have received this award, and I am extremely grateful to get this accolade. I always encourage students to be inquisitive, to question conventional wisdom and to perform science experiments they are passionate about, collect and analyze data, and create meaningful projects that provide them with experiential learning. I feel honored that my efforts to get the students engaged in scientific research are recognized.
What made you choose teaching as a profession?
I have always liked to explore new ideas and learn about new things. I also love working with children of all ages. My parents always encouraged me to pursue my interests, and teaching science is the perfect combination of the things I am passionate about. I am thankful that I got to do scientific research earlier in my career and that now I can use that knowledge and experience to encourage and support my students to pursue their love of science and conduct their own scientific research
AP Chemistry is often said to be a difficult subject. What suggestions do you have for students to succeed in this subject?
AP Chemistry course is all about developing a deeper understanding of the concepts and then being able to apply them in real-world situations. An important skill to succeed in this course is to become proficient in critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It is indeed a difficult subject, but I make it interesting to my students by showing them a variety of demonstrations, doing in-class lab experiments that bring concepts to life, and by relating the course content with other aspects of their day-to-day experiences. The students enjoy seeing the applications of their hard work in a tangible way. I always tell them that I spell Chemistry as “Chem Is Tryâ€!!
What is the value of High School Science Competitions?
Competitions are very beneficial for students who are interested in the field of STEM. Students learn important life skills such as collecting and analyzing data, writing a publishable paper, preparing a visual model and presentation, and then presenting it to the judges who are experts in their fields. They get to discuss their projects with experienced researchers and professors and receive valuable feedback. Many students are also invited to participate in research internships over the summer through these science competitions. They also meet likeminded peers and cultivate long lasting friendships.
Could you share a couple of interesting projects that you have guided students on?
Many students work in well-equipped industrial or college labs and do creative, complex projects. I like projects that follow basic scientific principles e.g. start with a good hypothesis, collect quality data, do a sound analysis and confirm the validity of that data.
One of the projects I especially remember was one in which a student measured the “Effect of Soda, Tea, and Coffee on Tooth Enamelâ€. It was a really interesting real life project; she utilized eggshells to replicate the tooth enamel!. It was well done and the student did it all by herself in a high school lab.
In another interesting project, a student measured the amount of a chemical that is produced when a person is nervous or stressed. He took a swab of saliva from students right before they were going to take a test! He got interesting results that correlated the amount of that chemical to the grades students received for that test, suggesting that there is relationship between students’ state of mind and their performance.
What suggestions do you have for your students who may want to pursue studying Chemistry for their undergraduate?
I think Chemistry is a very interesting subject (I may be biased!), because it is very relatable to almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives. I would encourage students to focus on understanding the concepts and not to just memorize. They should work on strengthening their problem-solving and critical thinking skills –sometimes it takes repeated efforts because “Chem is tryâ€! Do not give up!
Any special message for our readers?
Some thoughts: Children with a wide range of interests are usually inquisitive students. Early and frequent exposure to a variety of academic as well as extracurricular activities, and constant parental encouragement and support, helps students to explore their true interests and develop life-long passion for learning.
Thank you.
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