FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 February 2024
Contact: Marcy Dubroff, Associate Director
717.358.3837
The POGIL Project Names Two Veteran Practitioners Winners of its Impact Award
LANCASTER, Pa. — The POGIL Project (www.pogil.org) has named two veteran POGIL practitioners recipients of its POGIL Impact Award. This year, Sally Hunnicutt (Virginia Commonwealth University), and Gail Webster (Strategic Analysis) earned the honor.
The award is bestowed on individuals or teams of individuals who have achieved extraordinary outcomes related to The POGIL Project’s strategic plan. The award celebrates sustained impact and/or innovation achieved by a member or members of the POGIL community, and highlights a strong footprint in both The Project and the POGIL community.
The POGIL Project is a national, non-profit professional development organization that aims to improve teaching and learning by fostering an inclusive, transformative community of reflective educators.
Dr. Sally S. Hunnicutt earned her B.A. in chemistry and science education in 1983 at Duke University and Ph.D. in chemistry in 1990 from the University of Cincinnati. After starting her career at the University of Dayton Department of Chemistry, she moved to Richmond and joined the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she is now Professor and an Associate Dean for Faculty and Academic Affairs. Sally’s research interests relate to the creation and support of a community of physical chemistry instructors who develop and revise physical chemistry laboratory experiments that incorporate guided inquiry. From 2016-18 and 2006-07 she served on the steering committee of The POGIL Project, a national nonprofit dedicated to improving learning for students at the secondary and university levels. She received the VCU College of Humanities and Sciences Teaching Award in 2012, the VCU University Distinguished Teaching Award in 2015, and the VCU College of Humanities & Sciences Distinguished Service Award in 2019. Sally currently serves on the board of The Blue Sky Fund, which promotes outdoor-based learning and leadership for Richmond-area youth. She and her husband, Mike, have two sons, Patrick and Nathan, and they enjoy hiking, climbing, biking, and running.
“I was actually speechless when I got the news about this honor,” said Hunnicutt. “There are so many people in The POGIL Project who have made important contributions. After the initial surprise, I felt a lot of pride. It is truly meaningful to be recognized by my peers, especially by the super-talented people in The POGIL Project and in POGIL-PCL (physical chemistry laboratory project)."
Dr. Gail Webster is a Senior STEM Analyst at Strategic Analysis in Arlington, VA. In her role, she provides support to the Department of Defense (DoD) STEM Office. Her current responsibilities include oversight of two National Defense Education Program grant portfolios, and she recently participated in a writing team for the STEM education pillar of the Federal STEM Strategic Plan. Before joining DoD STEM, she was an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science & Technology Policy Fellow in the Office of Science (SC) at the US Department of Energy (DOE). At DOE, she served in the Scientific Workforce Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office. Gail received her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Analytical Chemistry from North Carolina State University, and a B.S. in Secondary Chemistry Education from Virginia Commonwealth University. She taught chemistry for 25 years at both the high school and college levels. She is a co-author of Chemistry: A Guided Inquiry (1 and 2) and a former chair of The POGIL Project Steering Committee. She remains active in both The POGIL Project and in the ACS Division of Chemical Education (she was a former member of the ACS Women’s Chemist Committee).
“My colleagues in The POGIL Project are the most dedicated and creative educators I’ve encountered. To be recognized for this award by a group of individuals I have so much respect for is overwhelming,” said Webster.
“This year’s recipients truly embody what the POGIL Impact Award represents,” said Marcy Dubroff, associate director of The POGIL Project. “Both Sally and Gail have had a remarkable and sustained impact on The Project’s forward trajectory, and we are grateful for their ongoing contributions to our work and our community.”
Hunnicutt and Webster will receive their awards at The POGIL Project’s national meeting in St. Louis in June 2024.
