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Esther Hines
American Chemical Society (ACS)
Bio
I hold a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru and a Master's in Science degree in Chemistry from the University of New Hampshire. I began my chemistry educator career at the University of North Carolina, Pembroke, until I relocated to Europe, where I worked at the University of Maryland University College, and City Colleges of Chicago, both at Aviano, Italy. Upon returning to the continental US, I taught at Billerica Memorial High School, Billerica, MA, retiring in June 2024. I worked part-time as a chemistry instructor at Dean College, Franklin, MA, Fall/Spring 2024-2025.
I am currently a volunteer with the ACS Division of Chemical Education as Chair of the Pre-College Committee, serving chemical educators in the K-12 grades.
I am currently a volunteer with the ACS Division of Chemical Education as Chair of the Pre-College Committee, serving chemical educators in the K-12 grades.
About
GCTLC Roles
- Learning Object Peer Reviewers
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Keywords Tags/Expertise
- General Chemistry
My Groups
| Group Name | Description | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Greener Introductory/General Chemistry | This is a group dedicated to GCTLC users interested in greening the introductory/general chemistry |
Open / Public |
| Green Analytical Chemistry | This is a group dedicated to GCTLC users interested in green analytical chemistry (including |
Open / Public |
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Please check back regularly for new job postings and opportunities from the community.
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Please check back regularly for new job postings and opportunities from the community.
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Recent Activity
- Esther Hines was just tagged in a comment: Hi @Esther Hines I also have the sequence of the lab, which I have prepared and followed for my General Chemistry Course CHEM-100. i WOULD BE HAPPY TO SHARE....
- Esther Hines was just tagged in a comment: I LOVE this conversation! @Jerald Villarmino, you can use the EPA's flow chart to determine if the material is considered hazardous waste and if it has to be disposed of by a certified waste hauler, or if you can consult your local regulations for disposal. You can also use the SDS file to determine the waste disposal methods (section 13). As far as integration with students. I would be cautious opening up your inventory list to them, but rather use select chemical SDS files to help them identify the hazards and develop ideas for safer alternatives. Using the SDS they can look at the physical and chemical properties section (section 9) and stability and reactivity (section 10) to identify what properties they need to look for in an alternative. Then using sections 11-13 they can consider the toxicological, environmental, and disposal factors of their greener alternative. I don't have a lesson plan written for this, but it is something I have modeled in trainings before. @Stefanie Loomis I love the Personal Care Product activity you have. That is awesome!Also, The Laboratory Safety Institute is hosting 10 Safer Science Summits next summer and we will talk about this EXACT thing. We want to help you triage the legacy chemicals and understand how to properly dispose of them and then how to substitute for greener and safer alternatives. @Esther Hines attended our summit in Boston this last summer and maybe can share her experience with the Summit and if it helped her. Happy to talk safety anytime @Jerald Villarmino! ...
- Esther Hines was just tagged in a comment: Hi @cmwoodbridge and @Esther Hines ,Have either of you tried the Dyeing to Degrade lab for Beer's law? https://par.nsf.gov/servlets/purl/10140624 When I was in the stockroom, I liked the ease of the allura red lab and the disposal but when I saw this lab, I just thought it was so cool. Unsure of your lab time and understand that time is an issue but if you already split the allura red lab into 2 sessions making the solutions for the calibration and then quantify the concentration in sports drinks, it sounds like version B could work with the same number of sessions? Tagging @Cassandra Lydon, @Jane Wissinger @Michael Wentzel , in case you have questions, as they are some of the rock stars that created it and I am sure could suggest tweaks on time, if needed. ...
- Esther Hines was just tagged in a comment: In my case, when I was teaching in college (though not high school), I handled Forensic Chemistry and Toxicology. Like @Esther Hines , I didn’t have formal training in toxicology during my undergraduate years, so I really relate to that feeling of being overwhelmed at first. Thankfully, I found the Beyond Benign toxicology resources, which really helped me build my confidence and enrich my classroom discussions. Thinking back to my high school and even college days, I remember that chemical disposal practices didn’t always fully consider toxicity, we’d often just place expired chemicals in a labeled container and bury them. It makes me realize how important it is to weave toxicology into education early on, even in small ways. I haven’t yet designed my own toxicology experiment. I usually lean on open-access materials and literature I find online. But moving forward, I’d love to explore and co-create hands-on activities that are doable with limited resources and meaningful in local contexts like the Philippines. Now that I’m taking a graduate course in chemical toxicology, I see how deeply interdisciplinary it is. It blends chemistry with molecular biology, environmental science, and even public health. But I really think there are ways to make toxicology approachable in the classroom, without needing to be an expert in every field, just enough to spark awareness and curiosity in our students. I’d love to hear how others are approaching this, especially if you’ve found creative ways to introduce toxicology that connect with your students' lived experiences or local environment. What’s worked for you?...
- Esther Hines was just tagged in a comment: @Sarah Briggs of New York State Pollution & Prevention Institute will be talking about exactly this dilemma in her Observe Wonder Think presentation on Chemical Management and Safety, in March (as @Esther Hines mentioned above). Register here if you would like to join us! ...
- Esther Hines was just tagged in a comment: Hello @Esther Hines, I strongly agree with your concern. Equitable grading is a shift from traditional grading methods to practices that prioritize fairness, inclusivity, and a focus on learning over ranking. It challenges us as educators to rethink how we assess student performance, especially in a subject like chemistry, where traditional metrics often favor those with prior access to resources or support systems. In the context of teaching green chemistry, equitable grading could look like assessing students on their ability to think critically about sustainability, collaborate on socially responsible solutions, and apply green chemistry principles to real-world problems. For example, instead of penalizing students for errors in a complex experiment, we might grade them on their process, problem-solving approach, and teamwork, skills that align with the ethos of green chemistry. Real-world inspiration can be drawn from schools in California, where districts like Los Angeles Unified have adopted equitable grading practices to address systemic inequities. These approaches include allowing retakes, basing grades on demonstrated knowledge rather than behavior, and incorporating alternative assessments like projects or reflections. My two cents as chemistry educators, equitable grading can help us inspire students to see themselves as future scientists and innovators, regardless of their background, while aligning our teaching with the socially responsible science we aim to promote. Hope this helps :) Regards,Jerald...
- Esther Hines registered.