RADFORD – During August’s ChemEd 09 conference on RU’s campus, more than 500 high school chemistry teachers from across the globe learned how to better incorporate technology, demonstrations and anecdotes into their classroom lessons. They also learned about RU’s quality science degree programs, its student researchers and their faculty mentors.

“Many participants wanted information about RU to give to their high school students. This is the type of advertising that we cannot buy, since it is a personal experience for the participant,” says conference chair and chemistry professor Christine Hermann.

Radford University has a lot to offer for a conference, adds Hermann. “Since it is a medium-sized campus and flat, participants can walk from session to session fairly quickly and easily. The classrooms had the most current technology, so participants did not have to bring a laptop to give a presentation, but they could just use the computers available,” says Hermann.

High school teachers from Belgium, Puerto Rico, Canada, Israel, Oman and Saudi Arabia attended in addition to teachers from 40 states.

RU’s chemistry program faculty worked for more than a year to organize the event. More than 60 volunteers from the campus community and representatives from Ferrum College, Roanoke College, Virginia Tech, Roanoke Valley Governor’s School and Blacksburg High School were involved in the planning and execution of the conference.