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Robert D. Sherwood

BS 1971, MS 1973, Chemistry

Robert D. Sherwood

"Participating in the Purdue Marching Band is still a pleasant memory for me. The ability to work in a large group, having the chance to travel to other campuses and helping to bolster school spirit were all very positive factors."

Robert Sherwood understood the impact that interdisciplinary collaboration could have on higher education long before it was fashionable in academia, especially in the STEM fields. Sherwood, a professor of science education and associate dean for research at Indiana University, Bloomington, says a strong background in the sciences, fostered while at Purdue was key in his early days as a middle school and high school teacher. That continued as he moved into academia, studying the issues of teaching science, especially chemistry, as well as participating in undergraduate research projects focused on research in education. “These experiences led me to value the importance of interdisciplinary work.”

Sherwood says he’s thankful for Purdue chemistry education professor Dudley Herron, who encouraged him to think outside the box, expanding his ideas of what teaching could be about. And he is proud of the role he continues to play in a project launched by his parents, both Purdue alumni, to grow high-protein corn on the family farm for needy families around the world. The all-volunteer Bryantsville Hunger Relief Project has distributed almost 10 million pounds of corn since 1985. His impact on STEM education might have been even more notable. The Cognition and Technology Group, during his time at Vanderbilt University, included cognitive scientists, assessment specialists and education faculty in science, mathematics, technology and literacy to develop technology-based instructional materials and conduct research to advance K-12 education. “This initiative resulted in work that has formed the basis for much of the problem-based/project-based instruction that is growing in use across the country,” Sherwood says.

Education

  • BS ’71, Chemistry, Purdue University
  • MS ’73, Chemistry, Purdue University
  • PhD ’80, Science Education, Indiana University

Career highlights

  • 2008-Present Associate Dean for Research, School of Education, Indiana University
  • 2006-Present Professor of Science Education, Indiana University
  • 2004-06 Program Director, National Science Foundation
  • 1983-2006 Professor of Education, Vanderbilt University
  • 1980-83 Professor of Science Education, New York University

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