Regents' Outstanding
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Ms. Lauren Johnson

Lecturer

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

College of Arts & Sciences

UT Tyler

My main motivation is the moment when a student realizes they can master a subject they previously thought impossible. When a student gains confidence in themselves and their ability to succeed, I know I have been successful as a teacher. If I can go one step further and help a student to not only master chemistry but to also become passionate about science, that is the icing on the cake to me.

Lauren Johnson graduated from The University of Texas at Tyler in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. She then attended graduate school at Texas A&M University where she received a Master of Science in chemistry in 2013. While in graduate school, Johnson studied organic and main group chemistry. Her research consisted of studying cationic main group compounds as water compatible small anion receptors. She also had the opportunity to begin teaching undergraduate chemistry laboratory courses and knew from the first semester of teaching that she wanted to make teaching at the undergraduate level her career. After graduate school Johnson taught at Kilgore College for one year before joining the faculty at The University of Texas at Tyler in the fall of 2014. Johnson is very grateful to be back at UT Tyler, working with the same amazing faculty she studied under. She teaches lecture courses in introductory, general and organic chemistry as well as general and organic chemistry laboratory courses. She feels very blessed to have the opportunity to share her love for chemistry with her students every day, and especially enjoys being in the lab with students showing them how exciting science can be! In 2018, Johnson received the Donald L. McClaugherty Award for Excellence in Teaching and in 2019 she received a Departmental Award for Excellence in Collegiality. Johnson also serves as a co-advisor for UT Tyler’s American Chemical Society student chapter. In this capacity she has worked with students and other faculty on many community service and community outreach projects. Outside of teaching, Johnson enjoys spending time with family, being outdoors and traveling with her husband of five years, Zechariah. Her favorite areas to travel are Central and South America.