Dr. Cynthia Luxford
Associate Professor
Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Chemistry Education Research Program
Texas State University
Contact Information:
Office: CHEM 212
Phone: (512) 245-1290
Fax: (512) 245-2374
Email: cluxford@txstate.edu
Education
B.S., Chemistry , Grand Valley State University, 2008
Education emphasis, Psychology minor, Secondary Teacher Certification (MI)
Ph.D., Chemistry, Miami University, 2013
Advisor: Dr. Stacey Lowery Bretz
Postdoctoral Research, Chemistry Education, ACS Exams Institute, Iowa State University, 2013-2015
Advisor: Dr. Thomas Holme
BioSketch
Dr. Luxford leads the research of the Chemistry Education Research laboratory, which focuses on developing a stronger understanding of how student conceptual understanding is created, changed and assessed. Dr. Luxford’s research group averages around 5-6 undergraduate students per semester and since joining Texas State University in 2015, she has mentored 25 research students across 4 projects.
Prior to joining Texas State University in 2015, Dr. Luxford was a postdoctoral researcher for the American Chemistry Society Exams Institute under the then director, Dr. Thomas Holme where she built a historical database categorizing exam questions from 20 years ACS General Chemistry Exams according to the Anchoring Chemistry Concepts Map (ACCM). From the exploration of the general chemistry questions, it was identified that their are some conceptual areas that are not assessed. This lead to the lateral look at the chemistry curriculum (General Chemistry, Organic, Analytical, Physical, Inorganic) as measured by the ACS exams developed over a 5 year window. Through this analysis it was found that there are conceptual holes in our current methods of summative assessment. In addition to categorizing exam questions, Dr. Luxford also continued to explore conceptual understanding through the lens of general chemistry by administering a National scale survey as groundwork exploration for a general chemistry conceptual exam. She also assisted in the development and analysis for the Quantum Chemistry Concept Inventory.
Dr. Luxford is currently a co-PI on a NSF IUSE HSI grant (2019-2024) and co-PI on a NSF NOYCE grant (2023-2028). She is a past seed grant awardee of a NSF PREM grant (2012-2018), a co-PI on a Texas State University Research Initiative award (2017-2019), co-PI on a NSF IUSE grant (2016-2020), and co-PI on a NSF NOYCE grant (2016-2023) . Dr. Luxford is also an evaluator/faculty mentor for the Texas State University NSF CHEMIE REU (2018-2021 and 2022-2024). Additional awards include the ACS DivCHED Travel Award (2015) and a Texas State University Research Enhancement Program award (2016). During her graduate studies, Dr. Luxford was recipient of an NSF fellowship funded through an NSF DUE grant held by Dr. Stacey Lowery Bretz. Dr. Luxford graduated Cum Laude with her BS in Chemistry with an Education emphasis along with a teaching certification from the State of Michigan (now expired). She participated in the American Chemical Society Student Chapter at Grand Valley State University as an undergraduate student and is currently the advisor of the American Chemical Society Student Chapter at Texas State University.
Dr. Luxford’s work has been published in twelve peer-reviewed publications, four book chapters, and multiple professional presentations.