HollyAnn Harris

2025 Sigma Xi Fellow

For her distinguished leadership in advancing science education, advocacy, and interdisciplinary collaboration within Sigma Xi, and for her long-standing commitment to student success, mentorship, and academic excellence.

Statement

“I am honored to be named a Sigma Xi Fellow.  I look to Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society, to provide leadership on the broad issues that affect scientists of all disciplines – informing and advocating for strong science education and for policies that promote scientific research, the ethical conduct of research and ethical use of scientific information.  I am also particularly proud of how Sigma Xi promotes multi- and inter-disciplinary science.  While scientific research becomes more and more specialized, seeing the broader impacts and applications will be what moves society forward.”

Biography

I have always been committed to mentoring undergraduate students in research and many of my undergraduate students from the ‘90’s went on to earn M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in chemistry, biochemistry, or engineering.  The Creighton University Chemistry Department grew from 12 faculty and 2 staff members to 20 faculty and 3 staff members during the time I was chair.  More than just growing in numbers, the department grew in research stature, with every measure of scholarship increasing including grant funding, research awards, and publications.  Early on in my scientific career, I learned that I was, at best (to be honest), an average research scientist but my true passion was in mentoring students and developing more talented research scientists.

I have been very active in Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Honor Society, serving as our local chapter president early in my career.  Most recently I completed my third term on the SX Board of Directors (first as a replacement and the second and third as an elected member) and currently serve on the Presidential Nominating Committee and on the Committee on Qualifications and Membership.  

My early scholarship interest was electronic structure theory (EST) and the use of EST to predict chemical reactivity involving organometallic compounds.  I migrated away from organometallic reactions when I became involved with an interdisciplinary group of scientists (primarily at UNL) who were interested in studying transition metal containing enzymes. 
 
Even during the early years, I was always fascinated with how scientists think and, relatedly, how students learn chemistry and biology; really, how students learn to think like a scientist.  This led me to pursue research in chemistry pedagogy.  Since joining the College of Arts and Sciences Dean’s Office, I have continued to be involved in active pedagogy study in my role on the GRE Chemistry committee for 12 years, the last nine of which I served as chair.  I also led the College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Research program for five years before it became an endowed program and a half-time director was appointed.