Dr Patrick Thomson

Teaching Fellow

Pure and Applied Chemistry

Contact

Personal statement

I'm currently the head of First Year in the school of Pure & Applied Chemistry. I run the first year teaching laboratory and the chemistry summer school, and I lecture on introductory organic chemistry for first year students. Additionally, I provide staff professional development on several well-established educational enhancements, such as Peer Instruction.

I am interested in chemical education, and laboratory education specifically. Within this area I conduct research on guided inquiry, a framework for building from a novice to expert lab scientist.

Back to staff profile

Area of Expertise

  • Guided Inquiry
  • Chemical Education
  • Laboratory Education
  • Peer Instruction
  • Pre-Labs
  • Blended Learning

Prize And Awards

Royal Society Pairing Scheme awardee
Recipient
24/3/2025
Best poster prize at chemistry education conference
Recipient
22/8/2022
Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy
Recipient
12/8/2019
Best poster prize at chemistry conference
Recipient
21/8/2018

More prizes and awards

Qualifications

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry

Back to staff profile

Publications

A snapshot of UK pre-lab practices and instructor perceptions of their purpose and effective design
Navarro Cristina, Arenas Benjamin E, Haddow Mairi F, Kirkham Anna J, Thomson Patrick I T
Journal of Chemical Education Vol 102, pp. 3893–3900 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.5c00321
Non-formal chemistry learning : a scoping review
D'Alton Megan J, Thomson Patrick I T, Scott Fraser J
Chemistry Teacher International Vol 7, pp. 385-409 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.1515/cti-2025-0020
Responses of teachers in Scotland to the reintroduction of the practical project in the advanced higher chemistry curriculum
Traynor Erin, Scott Fraser J, Thomson Patrick I T
Chemistry Teacher International Vol 7, pp. 183-193 (2025)
https://doi.org/10.1515/cti-2024-0073
Integrated instructions and solvent polarity indicators : reducing the complexity of first-time distillation
Thomson Patrick I T, Cleary Deborah
Journal of Chemical Education Vol 101, pp. 4321-4326 (2024)
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00466
A snapshot of UK pre-lab practices
Arenas Benjamin E, Haddow Mairi, Kirkham Anna, Navarro Reguero Cristina, Thomson Patrick
Variety in Chemistry Education/Physics Higher Education Conference 2024 (2024)
ChemQuest - the education for sustainable development game
Gibson Lorraine, Sprick Reiner Sebastian, Thomson Patrick, Stevens David
Variety in Chemistry Education Physics Higher Education Conference (2024)

More publications

Back to staff profile

Teaching

I am interested in chemical education, and laboratory education specifically. Within this area I conduct research on guided inquiry, a framework for building from a novice to expert lab scientist.

Back to staff profile

Professional Activities

Spectroscopy in an envelope: addressing the equipment drought in rural Scottish sch
Recipient
15/7/2025
PhD Viva
Examiner
6/6/2025
Scott Arthur
Host
29/5/2025
Journal of Chemical Education (Journal)
Peer reviewer
28/2/2025
Journal of Chemical Education (Journal)
Peer reviewer
22/9/2024
The undergraduate lab practical transformation
Interviewee
9/9/2024

More professional activities

Projects

Spectroscopy in an envelope: addressing the equipment drought in rural Scottish schools
Thomson, Patrick (Principal Investigator) Scott, Fraser (Co-investigator)
01-Jan-2025 - 30-Jan-2026
25th West of Scotland Meeting for Teachers of Chemistry
Thomson, Patrick (Principal Investigator) Scott, Fraser (Principal Investigator) Wark, Alastair (Principal Investigator)
Hosted conference, funded with £1200 from the Royal Society of Chemistry
16-Jan-2025 - 16-Jan-2025
Technicians' CLPL
Cleary, Deborah Mary (Principal Investigator) Scott, Fraser (Principal Investigator) Thomson, Patrick (Principal Investigator)
Scotland-wide technicians' practical CLPL day, part-funded by an externally awarded RSC empowerment grant and an additional £500 grant from the RSC's Education Community (Scotland) Interest Group
06-Jan-2024 - 06-Jan-2024
24th West of Scotland Meeting for Teachers of Chemistry
Thomson, Patrick (Principal Investigator) Wark, Alastair (Principal Investigator) Scott, Fraser (Principal Investigator)
Hosted conference, funded with £1200 from the Royal Society of Chemistry
11-Jan-2024 - 11-Jan-2024
Student Mental Health and Anxiety as a Hidden Disability in UK Chemistry Labs
Thomson, Patrick (Principal Investigator) Scott, Fraser (Co-investigator) Willison, Debra (Co-investigator)
01-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2025
Chemistry Teacher & Technician Networking Meeting
Thomson, Patrick (Principal Investigator) Scott, Fraser (Principal Investigator) Wark, Alastair (Principal Investigator)
Hosting an event organised by Education Scotland, and supported with ~£350 of their funding. Included Advanced Higher practical training.
15-Jan-2023 - 15-Jan-2023

More projects

Back to staff profile

Contact

Dr Patrick Thomson
Teaching Fellow
Pure and Applied Chemistry

Email: patrick.thomson@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 2347