Dr. Nicole James is an Assistant Professor in the Chemistry Department at Reed College. She holds a B.A. in Chemistry and German Studies from Whitman College, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Chicago. Her graduate work focused on physical and materials chemistry, which prompted her interest in how students activate their chemistry knowledge in interdisciplinary contexts. To focus on this, she transitioned to discipline-based education research in her postdoctoral position at Northern Illinois University and now leads a chemistry education research group at Reed College. More about the group and current projects can be found at www.reed.edu/chemistry/james. Outside of work, Nicole enjoys hiking, gardening, and spending time with her cats (when inside) and chickens (when outside).