Benedicta Donkor

Chemistry Education Research | Middle Tennessee State University

Benedicta Donkor, PhD

Department of Chemistry

Middle Tennessee State University

Room 3121, Science Building (SCI)

Murfreesboro, TN, 37130

United States

E-Mail: bdonkor[at]mtsu.edu

Chemistry Education Researcher | Enhancing Academic Experiences in STEM

I am Benedicta Donkor, a first-generation scholar originally from Ghana and a dedicated chemistry education researcher specializing in the academic experience within STEM disciplines. My work has focused on doctoral education in chemistry and the experiences of women faculty in academia. I am currently a postdoctoral researcher at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where I study science identity development and its role in shaping students’ and faculty members’ experiences in higher education. I am passionate about understanding and enhancing the academic environment to support success and belonging within STEM.

During my doctoral studies, I conducted an in-depth investigation into the overarching goals of chemistry doctoral education, examining both the intended goals and the actual outcomes of key programmatic elements (e.g. research, coursework, seminar, candidacy exam, etc.). My research explored how these programmatic elements collectively contribute to the overarching goal of doctoral education, all from the perspective of faculty members. The overall goal of this project is to build a model that explains how faculty thinks a novice graduate student becomes an expert by completing all the programmatic elements of chemistry doctoral education.

Additionally, I spearheaded an independent project exploring the experiences of women faculty in chemistry, shedding light on the unique challenges and opportunities they encounter in academia.

Beyond my primary research, I contributed to a study on the impact of metacognitive interventions on student performance and confidence in introductory biology courses. This work aimed to enhance student learning by integrating reflective practices and self-regulation strategies into biology education.

Future Research and Academic Goals

Looking ahead, my goal is to become a tenure-track faculty member focused on improving the academic experience of undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty. Through my research, I aim to contribute to a deeper understanding of the factors that shape academic and professional development in STEM, ultimately fostering a more supportive and effective learning environment.

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

Collini, M. A., Donkor, B., & Harshman, J. (2025). Identifying the underlying challenges that face doctoral education in chemistry. PLoS One 20(5): e0322446. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0322446

Donkor, B., Collini, M. A., & Harshman, J. (2025). Doctoral Education in Chemistry: Faculty perspectives on programmatic elements’ goals and outcomes. Chemistry Education Research and Practice. 26(2), 476-493. https://doi.org/10.1039/D4RP00308J

Donkor, B., Collini, M. A., & Harshman, J. (2024). The Goal of Doctoral Education in Chemistry: Faculty Perspectives. Journal of Chemical Education. 101(8), 3050–3061. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00087

Donkor, B., & Harshman, J. (2023). Learning Goals and Priorities Identified by an Examination of Chemistry Graduate Handbooks. Journal of Chemical Education. 100(10), 3774–3783. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.3c00062

Donkor, B., Umar, A. R. & Opoku, E., (2022). Mechanistic elucidation of the tandem Diels–Alder/(3+ 2) cycloadditions in the design and syntheses of heterosteroids. Journal of Molecular Modeling. 28(3), pp.1-16, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00894-022-05063-5

Umar, A. R., Donkor, B., & Opoku, E. (2022). Mechanistic details of domino [3+2] cycloaddition/[3,3] sigmatropic shift reactions of N-vinyl nitrones with Isocyanates. Computational and Theoretical Chemistry. 1210, 113643, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comptc.2022.113643

Donkor, B., Opoku, E., & Aniagyei, A. (2022). Theoretical studies on cycloaddition reactions of N-allyl substituted polycyclic Isoindole-1,3-dione with nitrones and nitrile oxides. Computational and Theoretical Chemistry. 1208, 113574, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.comptc.2021.113574

Olajide, O. E., Donkor, B., & Hamid, A.M. (2021). Systematic Optimization of Ambient Ionization Ion Mobility Mass Spectrometry for Rapid Separation of Isomers. Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. 33(1), 160–171. https://doi.org/10.1021/jasms.1c00311

Google Sites

Report abuse