About

Dr. Peter Mahaffy

Professor, Chemistry

P: 780-465-8343
Education
  • PhD Organic Chemistry, Indiana University, 1979
  • BA, Dordt College, 1974

Biography

Peter Mahaffy is professor of chemistry and director of King's Centre for Visualization in Science (KCVS.ca), which provides digital learning resources used by a half million students, educators, and the public from over 100 countries each year.

Research and professional areas

Current research and professional work is at the interfaces of chemistry education, the uses of interactive technological tools to facilitate the learning of science, systems thinking and sustainability/green chemistry, chemical safety and security, and the responsible uses of chemistry. 

Citation metrics (>2,000 citations, h-index 22, i10-index 35, google scholar metrics)

Select Examples of Professional Service

  • Titular member, International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Standing Committee on Ethics, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Task group member, IUPAC project on “Guiding Principles for the Responsible Practice of Chemistry”
  • IUPAC Project co-chair of Systems Thinking in Chemistry for Sustainability: Toward 2030 and Beyond (STCS- 2030+)
  • IUPAC Project co-chair of Learning Objectives and Strategies for Infusing Systems Thinking into (Post-Secondary) General Chemistry Education. IUPAC Project 2017-010-1-050
  • Co-Chair, Government of Alberta Campus Alberta Quality Council (2014 – 2019)
  • External Evaluator for chemistry program reviews and institutional comprehensive assessments in Canada and the USA
  • Past-Chair, IUPAC Committee on Chemistry Education and member of IUPAC Bureau
  • Subject Matter Expert for CRDF Global projects in Ukraine (2024), India (2023), Pakistan (2023), Egypt (2022), Libya (2021)
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy (Elsevier), 2021 - present
  • Editorial Advisory Board, Journal of Chemical Education, 2017 – 2022
  • Charter Member, International Council of Science (ICSU) Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in the Conduct of Science (CFRS)
  • Charter Member, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Temporary Working Group on Education and Outreach - OPCW received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013
  • American Chemical Society Presidential Working Group on Climate Science
  • Chair, Gordon Research Conference on Visualization in Science Education: International. July, 2005, Oxford, UK (Cover of Feb. 4, 2005 issue of Science Magazine)

Select awards

  • American Chemical Society, George C. Pimentel Award in Chemistry Education (2025)
  • College Chemistry Canada C3 Award in Chemical Education (2019)
  • International Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry Committee on Chemistry Education Award for Distinguished Contributions to Chemistry Education (Rome, 2012)
  • American Chemical Society, Committee on Environment and Industry Award for Incorporation of Sustainability into Chemistry Education (San Diego, 2012)
  • NE Section of the American Chemical Society, James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry (Boston, 2011)
  • 3M National Teaching Fellow, Canada (2008)
  • Alberta Centennial Medal (2005)
  • Chemical Institute of Canada National Chemistry Education Award (2003)
  • Fellow, Chemical Institute of Canada (1999)

Select publications (since 2014)

  1. Mahaffy, P.G.; Matlin, S.A.; Holme, T.A; MacKellar, J. (2019) “Systems Thinking for Education about the Molecular Basis of Sustainability,” Nature Sustainability 2, 362–370.
  2. Mahaffy, P. G.; Krief, A.; Hopf, H.; Matlin, S. A. (2018) “Reorienting Chemistry Education through Systems Thinking,” Nature Reviews Chemistry, 2, 1-3.
  3. Mahaffy, Peter G.; Lunn, J.; Adema, A.; Ayotte, A.; Faulkner, J.; Greidanus, S.; Griffioen, A.; Koot, A.; Mimran, Y.; Nanninga, E.; Pfeifer, D.; Struyk, J.; Su, M.; Tesfaye, N.; Wagram, G. “Climate Action Can Flip the Switch: Resourcing Climate Empowerment in Chemistry Education.” Chem. Educ., in press (2024), https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.4c00548.
  4. Szozda, A.R.; Lalani, Z.’ Behroozi, S.; Duhart, E.; Mahaffy, P.G., Flynn, A.B. “Systems thinking encourages a safe space to offer different perspectives and insights”: Students’ perspectives and experiences with individual and collaborative ST activities, J. Chem. Educ., 101 (4), May 2024.
  5. Szozda, A.R.; Mahaffy, P.G.; Flynn, A.B. Identifying Chemistry Students’ Baseline Systems Thinking Skills When Constructing System Maps for a Topic on Climate Change, Chem. Educ., 2023, 100, 5, 1763-1776, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00955 (Chemical Education Research).
  6. MacDonald, R. P.; Pattison, A. N.; Cornell, S.E.; Elgersma, A.K.; Greidanus, S.N.; Visser, S.N.; Hoffman, M.;  and Mahaffy, P. G. “An Interactive Planetary Boundaries Systems Thinking Learning Tool to Integrate Sustainability into Chemistry Curriculum,” Journal of Chemical Education, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00659.
  7. Whalen, J. M., Matlin, S. A., Holme, T. A., Stewart, J. J., & Mahaffy, P. G. (2022). “A systems approach to chemistry is required to achieve sustainable transformation of matter: the case of ammonia and reactive nitrogen,” ACS Sust. Chem.& Eng. DOI.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.2c03159.
  8. Mahaffy, P. G.; Elgersma, A.K. “Systems Thinking, the Molecular Basis of Sustainability and the Planetary Boundaries Framework: Complementary core competencies for chemistry education,” Current Opinion in Green and Sustainable Chemistry, 2022, 100663, ISSN 2452-2236, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogsc.2022.100663. https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1fdUB_tmT7oZWB.
  9. Wissinger, J.; Visa, A.; Saha, B.; Matlin, S.A.; Mahaffy, P. G.; Kummerer, K.; Cornell, S. “Integrating Sustainability into Learning in Chemistry,” guest editorial, J. Chem. Education, 2021, 98 (4), 1061 – 1063, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.1c00284.
  10. Flynn, A. B.; Loppnow, G. R.; Mahaffy P.G. “Introduction to the special issue dedicated to Dr. Margaret-Ann Armour,” Canadian Journal of Chemistry, Special Issue in Honor of Margaret-Ann Armour, August 2021, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjc-2021-0192.
  11. Leah A Martin-Visscher, Kristopher Ooms­, Peter Mahaffy, "Chemistry as if students matter:  From student to student’s learning outcomes," Canadian Journal of Chemistry, Special Issue in Honor of Margaret-Ann Armour, August 2021, https://doi.org/10.1139/cjc-2020-0349.
  12. Talanquer, V.; Bucat, B.; Tasker, R.; Mahaffy, P.G. Lessons from a Pandemic: Educating for Complexity, Change, Uncertainty, Vulnerability, and Resilience, Chem. Educ., 2020, 97 (9), 2696 – 2700, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.0c00627, selected as ACS Editor's Choice publication.
  13. Mahaffy, P. G.; Matlin, S.A; "Systems thinking to educate about the molecular basis of sustainability" L’ actualité chimique, N° 446, pp. 47-49, Dec 2019. 
  14. Mahaffy, P.; Ho, F. M.; Haak, J. A.; Brush, E. J. (2019), “Can Chemistry be a Central Science without Systems Thinking,” Chem. Educ. 96, 2679 – 2681. 
  15. Mahaffy, P. G.; Matlin, S. A.; Whelan, J. M.; Holme, T. A. (2019).  “Integrating the Molecular Basis of Sustainability into General Chemistry through Systems Thinking,” J. Chem. Educ. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00390,  selected as ACS Editor's Choice publication.
  16. Flynn, A.; Orgill, MK.; Ho, F. M.; York, S.; Matlin, S. A.; Constable, D. J. C.; Mahaffy, P.  (2019). “Future Directions for Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education: Putting the Pieces Together,” J. Chem. Educ. 96, 3000-3005.
  17. Mahaffy, P.G.; Brush, E.J.; Haack, J.A; Ho, F.M. (2018).  “Journal of Chemical Education Call for Papers-Special Issue on Reimagining Chemistry Education:  Systems Thinking, Green & Sustainable Chemistry,” Journal of Chemical Education, 95(10), 1689-1691.
  18. Holden, N. E.; Coplen, T. B.; Böhlke, J. K.; Tarbox, L. V.; Laeter, J. R.; Mahaffy, P. G.; O'Connor, G.; Roth, E.; Tepper, D. H.; Walczak, T.; Wieser, M. E.; Yoneda, S. (2018) "IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes for the Education Community,"Pure and Applied Chemistry, 90 (12), pp. 1833-2092.
  19. Mahaffy, P. G.; Holme, T.; Martin-Visscher, L.; Martin, B.E; Versprille, A.; Kirchhoff, M.; McKenzie, L.; Towns, M.  (2017) “Beyond ‘Inert’ Ideas to Teaching General Chemistry from Rich Contexts: Visualizing the Chemistry of Climate Change (VC3),” Journal of Chemical Education, 94 (8), 981 – 1182, (Editor’s choice and featured on the Journal cover).
  20. Mahaffy, P., Bucat, B., Tasker, R., Kotz, J., Treichel, P., Weaver, G., & McMurry, J. (2015) Chemistry: Human Activity – Chemical Reactivity, 2ndCanadian and 2nd International Editions (Integrated package of introductory university Chemistry textbook and interactive digital learning resources), Nelson/Cengage.
  21. Mahaffy, P. (2015). Chemistry Education and Human Activity, Chapter 1 in Chemistry Education: Best Practices, Opportunities and Trends, Garcia, J. Ed., Wiley-VCH: Weinheim.
  22. Mahaffy, P. G.; Martin, B.E; Kirchhoff, M.; McKenzie, L.; Holme, T.; Versprille, A.; Towns, M.  (2014) “Infusing Sustainability Science Literacy Through Chemistry Education: Climate Science as a Rich Context for Learning Chemistry,” ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2 (11), 2488 – 2622.

Select interviews

  1. Nugent, Time Magazine, April 2021, “The unexpected ways climate change is changing college curriculum, interview with P. Mahaffy.
  2. deGrasse Tyson and C. Nice, StarTalk Live – Climate Science for NY City Climate Week, Sept 23, 2020, interview with P. Mahaffy.
  3. Nice, 10,000 Teachers, SCIC, Science is Cool Unconference during NYC Climate Week, Interview with P. Mahaffy, Sept 10, 2020.
  4. Nice, Podzero Podcast, Shhh, It’s Real! Interview with P. Mahaffy, Feb 23, 2021.
  5. Howes and S. Lemonick, “In these classrooms, chemistry is part of a larger whole: Chemistry educators are introducing systems thinking to help students see chemistry’s connections to the wider world,” Interview in Chemical and Engineering News, Feb 3, 2020, C&E News cover story.
  6. Wang, Chemical & Engineering News, September 5, 2016, Interactive tools for teaching chemistry (Interview with P. Mahaffy), 94 (35), 64.
  7. Graney, Edmonton Journal, August 28, 2016, “Periodic Table of Elements gets Interactive Touch Thanks to the King’s University Project.” (Interview with P. Mahaffy, B. Martin).
  8. Interview by Robert Price, editor of Lab business, Jan/Feb 2012 issue, in feature on “Scientists about Educating Scientists”, p 10-11.
  9. Interview by Linda Wang, senior editor of Chemical and Engineering News, 90 (8), 46-47 in Feb 20, 2012 issue on “Makeshift Chemistry.” 
  10. Temechegn Engida, “An Interview with Prof. P. Mahaffy,” African Journal of Chemical Education, 1 (1), January, 2011, p 5-9. (inaugural issue of AJCE for International Year of Chemistry-2011).

Select Digital Learning Objects (King’s Centre for Visualization in Science)

  1. KCVS Radiative Forcing (2024).
  2. IUPAC Guiding Principles for the Responsible Practice of Chemistry – design of website, graphics, and taglines for the IUPAC Project 2022-034-3-060 (to be released in 2025).
  3. KCVS SOCKIT - the SOCME on-line construction kit. (2023).
  4. Sustainability and Systems Thinking in Chemistry Education - a website for the IUPAC STCS-2030+ project, Systems Thinking in Chemistry for Sustainability-2030 and beyond. (2023).
  5. KCVS Planetary Boundaries Interactive Learning Tool, (2022) Featured project of the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (2022-23).
  6. OPCW Modules for Universities (2023).
  7. KCVS Refriger-Rate interactive learning tool. (2022).
  8. KCVS Isotopes Matter (2015).Set of electronic resources for introducing the IUPAC Interactive Electronic Periodic Table of the Isotopes, IUPAC Project.  kcvs.ca.
  9. Chemistry for Ages 10-15 (2015).Set of 8 interactive modules and teacher resources for introducing beginning ideas about the nature of models, the particle nature of matter, physical change, and chemical change. 
  10. Visualizing the Chemistry of Climate Change (2014). Set of 4 interactive modules for 1styear university chemistry, as an output of the NSF-funded VC3 project, CCLI Award 1022992. 
  11. Multiple Uses of Chemicals (2013). Set of interactive web-based materials created with a team of undergraduate student research collaborators and reviewed by both scientific and science education peers. A partnership of King’s Centre for Visualization in Science with IUPAC and OPCW, the recipient of the 2013 Nobel Peace Prize.
  12. Visualizing and Understanding the Science of Climate Change (2013 Set of 9 interactive modules for 16-19 year old students as an International Year of Chemistry-2011 legacy project.