About the 2026 BCCE

 

The Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) is a meeting sponsored by the Division of Chemical Education (DivCHED) of the American Chemical Society (ACS). The conference welcomes chemistry educators from around the globe and who operate in all education sectors (academia/government/industry) and levels (primary, secondary, two-year and four-year undergraduate, and graduate/postdoctoral).

The BCCE helps chemistry educators make connections with colleagues and friends who are dedicated to the teaching and learning of chemistry. The conference provides educators with opportunities for interacting with colleagues in formal and informal settings and can be an excellent source for ideas, inspiration, and materials for those both new to chemistry education and those who have years of experience.

All chemistry educators are invited to contribute to the conference by submitting a program proposal (opens August 1, 2025), or abstracts for presentations.

You do not have to present in order to attend the BCCE. Also, you do not have to be a member of the American Chemical Society or the ACS Division of Chemical Education to attend or present at the BCCE.

More Than a Land Acknowledgement

BCCE 2026 will take place on Ho-Chunk land—land known as Teejop (Day-JOPE). The Ho-Chunk Nation has stewarded this place since time immemorial. Despite centuries of forced removal, the Ho-Chunk people have continually returned, and their sovereign presence endures today.

We recognize that the University of Wisconsin–Madison, our host institution, occupies this land as a result of colonization and displacement. This acknowledgment is not a conclusion—it is a beginning. A reminder that Indigenous people are still here, and that their histories, knowledge systems, and futures matter in the ongoing work of education and science.

As we prepare to gather in Teejop for this international conference of chemistry educators, we invite participants to reflect with care and curiosity:

  • What does it mean to teach, learn, and collaborate on land that was never ceded?
  • How do our practices in chemistry education include—or exclude—Indigenous people and perspectives?
  •  How can our work be more relational, responsible, and responsive to the histories and communities that shape this place?

We do not offer this as a welcome to the land—this land is not ours to welcome you to. Instead, we invite you to approach this conference, and this place, with awareness, humility, and respect.

Thank you for stepping into this shared space of learning and reflection.

We look forward to being in community with you at BCCE 2026.
Ho-Chunk Nation Official Site
Our Shared Future – UW-Madison
Beyond Land Acknowledgement – Native Governance Center

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Organizing Team

2026 Executive Committee

  • Sam Pazicni, UW–Madison, general chair
  • Debbie Herrington, Grand Valley State University, program chair
  • Laura Richards, UW–Madison, conference manager
  • John Michael Sophos, ACS DivCHED, meeting planning partner
  • Pamela Doolittle, UW–Madison, sponsorships lead

Conference Element Action Leads

  • Amanda Buchberger-Jones, UW-Madison, exhibits
  • Mary Beth Anzovino, UW-Madison, in-person engagement
  • Blaise Thompson, UW-Madison, conference management system
  •  Rachel Bain, UW-Madison, global remote engagement
  • Kimberly Hazen, UW-Madison, media
  • Aaron McCoy, UW-Madison, safety
  • Léa Gustin, UW-Madison volunteer coordination
  • Tracey Reitz, UW-Madison, volunteer coordination
  • Josie Nardo, Ohio State University, accessible and inclusive spaces
  • Casey Wright, University of Iowa, accessible and inclusive spaces
  • Sarah Johnson, University of North Alabama, accessible and inclusive spaces

Program Component Action Leads

  • Stephan Block, UW-Madison, birds of a feather
  • Ginger Shultz, University of Michigan, community conversations
  • Ariel Vaughn, CSU Channel Islands. Community conversations
  • Jackie Trate, UW-Madison posters
  • Jeremey Weaver, UW-Madison, posters
  • Brian Esselmann, UW-Madison, workshops
  • Liana Lamont, UW-Madison, workshops
  • Ryan Stowe, UW-Madison, workshops

2026 Program Committee

  • Troy Alivio (Nicholls State University, Louisiana) 
  • Amanda Bongers (Queens University, Canada)
  • Dusty Carroll (Seneca High School, New Jersey)
  • Ginevra Clark (University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois)
  • Sarah Clark (Grand Valley State University, Michigan)
  • Ashley Donovan (Flint Hill School, Virginia)
  • Jamie Lauer (Hartford Union High School, Wisconsin)
  • Azizeh Farajallah (Cascadia College, Washington)
  • Ken Friedrich (Portland Community College, Oregon)
  • Tyler Kinner (Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia)
  • Robert Kojima (San Diego City College, California)
  • Carla Morais (University of Porto, Portugal)
  • Kristen Murphy (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Wisconsin)
  • Florastine Payton-Stewart (Xavier University of Louisiana, Louisiana)
  • Lynne Pilcher (University of Pretoria, South Africa)
  • Reyne Pullen (University of Sydney, Australia)
  • Santiago Sandi-Ureña (University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica)
  • Shannon Smith (The Summit Country Day School, Ohio)
  • Courtney Sobers (Rutgers University, New Jersey)
  • Kristen Vanderveen (The Bromfield School, Massachusetts)

Methods in Chemistry Education Research “Across the Pond” (MICER A+P)

  • Maia Popova, University North Caroline Greensboro, chair
  • Michael Seery, University of Bristol, advisor
  • Sam Pazicni, UW-Madison, BCCE liaison