Peter Mahaffy, chemistry professor at The King’s University in Edmonton, Alta., and director of the King’s Centre for Visualization in Science, has been named the 2025 recipient of the George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education. Presented by the American Chemical Society, the honor recognizes Mahaffy’s contributions to chemistry education, particularly his focus on understanding chemistry as a human activity and his innovative use of “systems thinking” tools to integrate sustainability into teaching and research. Mahaffy is a member of Fellowship Christian Reformed Church in Edmonton.
“Chemistry is often taught as a set of isolated, disconnected facts and equations,” said Mahaffy, who has been teaching at King’s since the 1981. “However, I approach from the idea that chemistry is one of the central sciences that impacts everything we do. How does the study of chemistry impact and interact with any number of the current crises that we are currently experiencing? That is the lens through which I view my work and the study of chemistry.”
In his work at the Centre for Visualization in Science, Mahaffy collaborates with undergraduate researchers and local and international experts, developing digital resources that connect chemistry to real-world issues. These tools, freely available at kcvs.ca, include interactive models and visualizations that help students explore chemistry in a global context.
The award includes $5,000 and travel expenses to the American Chemical Society annual meeting in San Diego for the award presentation in March 2025. Mahaffy also will participate in a symposium, Chemistry for People and the Planet.
Named after a renowned educator, the George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education is one of the society’s highest honors for educators who advance the teaching and learning of chemistry. It is awarded yearly, after a nomination process. Mahaffy was nominated in 2023 by a colleague.
About the Author
Dan Veeneman works in the dairy industry as a ventilation specialist. He lives in Abbotsford, B.C., with his wife and three children. He is a member of Gateway Community Church.
