Rate My Professor Daniel Waddell

Daniel Waddell is an Associate Professor - Educator (F2) in the Chemistry department at the University of Cincinnati, where he serves as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry - Educator. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Ohio Northern University in 2006 and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Cincinnati in 2012, during which he conducted graduate research in James Mack's laboratory studying organic reactions under high-speed ball milling conditions while also teaching organic chemistry labs and recitations. Earlier in his career, Waddell taught high school chemistry and geophysical science at Marish School in Atlanta, Georgia, from 2006 to 2007, served as a summer instructor for General Chemistry (CHEM 101) in 2010 and Organic Chemistry (CHEM 201) in 2011 at the University of Cincinnati, worked as a substitute teacher for grades 3-12 at Belleville Mennonite School in 2012, and held an Assistant Professor of Chemistry position at Penn State Altoona from 2012 to 2014. In that role, he taught Molecular Science, Environmental Chemistry with lab, General Chemistry lab, Organic Chemistry lab, Summer Introductory Chemistry, and Summer Fundamentals of Organic Chemistry.

Since August 2014, Waddell has taught General and Organic Chemistry courses, along with other departmental needs, at the University of Cincinnati. His research interests focus on studying how students learn chemistry, best practices for engaging and motivating students, and the use of technology in the classroom to foster learning. Waddell has an extensive record of scholarly contributions from his graduate work in green chemistry and mechanochemistry, with 17 publications cited over 3,163 times. He has received numerous awards and honors for his teaching and research excellence, including the Mrs. A.B. 'Dolly' Cohen Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2025, IECE Outstanding Faculty Member Award in 2020, invitations to the Darwin T. Turner Scholars Breakfast of Champions in 2015, 2022, eLearning Champion recognition in 2015, Harry B. Mark, Jr., Research Associate Award in 2011, Chemistry Graduate Student Association Student of the Year in 2011, Ciba Travel Award in Green Chemistry in 2011, K. Patricia Cross Future Leaders Award finalist in 2011, Ann P. Villalobos Fellowship in 2010, University Research Council’s Summer Graduate Student Fellowship in 2010, NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program Honorable Mention in 2009, NSF Student Scholar Travel Scholarship in 2009, Milton Orchin Award in 2009, Henry Hochstetter Prize for Teaching Assistant in 2009, selection to the American Chemical Society Summer School on Sustainability and Green Chemistry in 2008, and the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship in 2005.