Professor John De Backere joined the Department of Chemistry as an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, in 2021. His teaching focuses on enriching students’ laboratory experiences by integrating more authentic and contextualized experiments to engage students in the research process through discovery- and problem-based inquiry. In collaboration with faculty, undergraduates and graduate students, Professor De Backere has developed several innovative experiments reflecting real-world research and fostering collaborative learning. 

Professor De Backere is passionate about green and sustainable chemistry education, aspiring to equip students with the skills and mindset beyond the traditional lens of chemistry to address global challenges responsibly. Beyond his own classroom, he has made significant contributions towards advancing and advocating for educational reform, including partnering with the non-profit organization Beyond Benign as a Faculty Fellow to develop open-access resources and support peer communities. Recently, he and his colleagues received a 2024-2025 Green Chemistry Education Challenge Award to create a green chemistry workshop for local high school teachers. 

Embracing digital technologies as effective tools to modernize teaching and learning, Professor De Backere developed a free augmented reality (AR) mobile app to visualize molecular symmetry and orbitals, which was featured on the front cover of the Journal of Chemical Education in 2024. His commitment to student success is also reflected in initiatives such as co-developing an interactive online equity, diversity, and inclusivity (EDI) workshop for all first-year chemistry students. In addition to publishing in journals, he’s presented at numerous academic events and conferences, as well as co-organizing several symposia and workshops.