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.

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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

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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
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)
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)

More publications

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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.

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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

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Contact

Dr Patrick Thomson
Teaching Fellow
Pure and Applied Chemistry

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