Michael Kahlow

Michael Kahlow

Professor

Start Year: 1992

Email: michael.a.kahlow@uwrf.edu

Education:

B.S. - Lawrence University, 1981
M.S. - University of California - Berkeley, 1983
Ph.D. - University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 1988

Courses Taught:

• Molecular Structure and Spectroscopy (Chem 342, Physical Chemistry II)
• Physical Chemistry of Biological Systems (Chem 340)
• Physical Chemistry Laboratory (Chem 345)
• Laboratory Safety (Chem 261)
• General Chemistry

 

 

 

Research Interests:

My recent professional interests have centered on curricular reform in chemistry and other STEM fields. I am the principal investigator on two National Science Foundation awards to the University of Wisconsin - River Falls:

• A STEP (STEM Talent Enhancement Program) grant for $900,000 to improve student retention in STEM fields at UWRF. This program is highly competitive, only 10 grants were funded out of 200 applicants.

•  A CCLI (Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement) grant to develop and  implement a new Chemistry curriculum at UWRF which starts with the principles of organic chemistry (“Organic First”). 

I have also been involved in funded proposals to the University of Wisconsin – System to renovate our old campus ballroom into an Active Learning Classroom (total funding awarded $821,000; occupancy Spring 2014) and the renovation of a Chemistry laboratory as a testbed for active learning technologies (occupancy Fall 2017).

In the laboratory, I am working on a number of derivatives of silver dithizone, a compound which shows photochromic behavior - it isomerizes and changes color upon exposure to light.

Professional Activities:

I am elected to the Pierce County Board of Supervisors, representing the eastern 2/3 of the UWRF campus and adjacent neighborhoods. I serve on the Information Systems, Building, Industrial Development, and Human Services committees, and on the Pierce County Board of Health. 

Publications:

Relevant presentations (earliest first, including only those as presenter)
1)  “The Organic First Curriculum at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls”, Michael Kahlow, Ross Jilk, Barbara Nielsen, Magdalena Pala, Karl Peterson, Jeff Rosenthal, David Rusterholz, Jamie Schneider, Stacey Stoffregen, 22nd Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE), August 2012, Penn State University.
2)   “Development and implementation of a chemistry curriculum starting with organic chemistry”, Invited talk, Milwaukee area section of the American Chemical Society meeting, May 2013.
3)   “A three semester Organic First curriculum allowing students to start biochemistry in the second year”, Michael Kahlow, Ross Jilk, Daniel Marchand, Barbara Nielsen, Magdalena Pala, Karl Peterson, Jeffery Rosenthal, David Rusterholz, and Stacey Stoffregen, American Chemical Society Great Lakes Regional Meeting, June 5-8, 2013, LaCrosse, WI.
4)   “Getting pre-professional students through biochemistry in their second year with an Organic First curriculum, Michael Kahlow, 23rd Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE), August 2014, Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI.
5)   “Implementing an Organic First Curriculum: Lessons Learned, Michael Kahlow, Daniel Marchand, Jamie Schneider, Ross Jilk, and Karl Peterson, 24th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, August 2016, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO.
6)   “Two Credit Laboratory Safety Course for Undergraduate Students”, Michael Kahlow and Ross Jilk, 24th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, August 2016, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO.

Relevant Posters (recent only, earliest first)
1)  “Design and Implementation of an Introductory Organic First Chemistry Curriculum”, Michael Kahlow, Ross Jilk, Barb Nielsen, Magdalena Pala, Karl Peterson, Jeffrey Rosenthal, David B. Rusterholz, Jamie L. Schneider, and Daniel Marchand, 2013 TUES/CCLI Conference, January 23-25, 2013, Washington, D.C.
2)   “Introduction of a two credit laboratory safety course for chemistry majors and minors”, American Chemical Society Great Lakes Regional Meeting, June 5-8, 2013, LaCrosse, WI.
3)   “The GREAT (Graduate-Retain-Engage-Advise-Team Learning) Falcon Project”, Michael Kahlow, Jamie L. Schneider, Bradley Caskey and Kristina Anderson, 2014 Annual Grantees Meeting for NSF's Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Talent Expansion Program, March 5-7, 2014, Washington, D.C.
4)   “Assessing and improving STEM student retention”, Michael Kahlow, Jamie L. Schneider, Bradley Caskey and Kristina Anderson, 23rd Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE), August 2014, Grand Valley State University.
5)   “Assessing and Improving Student Retention and Progression in STEM Majors”, Michael Kahlow, Jamie L. Schneider, and Bradley Caskey, 2016 UW-System OPID Spring Conference, April 13-15, 2016, Spring Green, WI.
6)   “Implementation of the GREAT Falcon STEP Program at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls”, Michael Kahlow, Jamie L. Schneider, and Bradley Caskey, Envisioning The Future of Undergraduate STEM Education: Research and Practice, April 27-29, 2016, Washington, DC.
 

Grants received (recent):

National Science Foundation STEM Talent Enhancement Program proposal, "The GREAT (Graduate-Retain-Engage-Advise-Team Learning) Falcon Project", with Jamie Schneider and Bradley Caskey (Dean of UWRF College of Arts and Sciences), $997,706.    

National Science Foundation Course, Curriculum and Laboratory Improvement (CCLI) award, "Redesigning Introductory Chemistry: A Model Student-Driven Curriculum", with Ross Jilk, Barb Nielsen and David Rusterholz, $149,994 with an additional internal UWRF commitment of $144,000, July 2008 – July 2012.               

UWRF Student Technology Fee/Laboratory Modernization, "Implementation of computer-based instruction methodologies for a high-enrollment general education science laboratory: General Chemistry", $103,200, Fall 2003 – Summer 2006.