Rate My Professor Dave Warren

Dr. Dave Warren serves as a Professional Practice Fellow in the Department of Chemistry within the Division of Sciences at the University of Otago. He holds a PhD in Physical Chemistry, specializing in ATR-IR techniques for characterizing materials. A qualified teacher, Warren leads the Department of Chemistry Outreach Programme, which he has directed for over a decade. In this capacity, he coordinates in-house laboratory days for approximately 200 local high school students annually, enabling extended investigations in chemistry teaching labs. These programs target years 10, 11, and 12 students, fostering improved focus, motivation, engagement, and academic results. Warren also contributes to undergraduate teaching, including first-year papers such as CHEM111 Chemistry: Molecular Architecture and CHEM191, as well as the undergraduate teacher training programme.

Warren's outreach extends internationally, with initiatives in Taiwan, Malaysia—including expeditions to Borneo and Sarawak—Northland, and involvement in projects like He Ao Hou Murihiku Regeneration and Te Tiriti partnerships in mātai matū (chemistry). He has facilitated activities such as nanochemistry projects, hydrogen kit assemblies with schools, and presentations at the IUPAC International Conference on Chemistry Education 2024 alongside Associate Professor Anna Garden. As an Institute Affiliate of the MacDiarmid Institute, Warren supports outreach partnerships, research collaborations, and student mentoring. His contributions have earned him a Community Engagement Award for service to the public. Key publications include 'Student outcomes from a long-term outreach program using mobile chemistry laboratories' in the Journal of Chinese Chemical Society (2020), 'Science outreach in the Borneo jungle' in Science (2018), and 'Sharing chemistry with Māori students' in Science (2018). Through these efforts, Warren significantly impacts chemistry education and public engagement.