With a background in high school chemistry teaching and as coordinator for the chemistry outreach programme my research interests are in chemical education, especially the topical area of 'science communication'. Within the OECD the numbers of school students taking science topics has fallen drastically over the last 20 years. The response has been the growth of science 'edu-tainment' in an effort to capture the imagination of young audiences. However, such programs frequently target 'safe' audiences that are already engaged with science. Our community based outreach programme targets rural and low-decile schools with a hands on approach delivered by our own chemistry students. These are audiences who traditionally don't engage with science, who don't see science as relevant to their lives and who represent the lowest achievement rates at NCEA. Recently we have had the opportunity to extend this programme and currently have two projects in Taiwan and Malaysia.
Current research is focussed on two areas: firstly, the development of hands on activities for use with school groups; secondly, the learning and development of self-efficacy amongst the department students who are involved in delivering the outreach programme.
In recent years my interest has been the use of overseas outreach visits how they can be used to develop students into global citizens.
Warren, D. (2020). Student outcomes from a long-term outreach program working in rural and low-income schools. Journal of the Chinese Chemical Society, 67, 2233-2240. doi: 10.1002/jccs.202000442
Journal - Research Article
Mackay, S. M., Tan, E. W., & Warren, D. S. (2020). Developing a new generation of scientist communicators through effective public outreach. Communications Chemistry, 3, 76. doi: 10.1038/s42004-020-0315-0
Journal - Research Other
Warren, D. (2019, December). Student outcomes from a long term outreach program working with students in rural and low income school. Verbal presentation at the 18th Asian Chemical Congress and 20th General Assembly of the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies, Taipei, Taiwan.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Warren, D. (2019, November). Applying outcomes from an outreach program to school classrooms. Verbal presentation at the Sarawak Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Symposium (SaSTEMS 2019), Kuching, Malaysia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Warren, D. (2019, November). Outreaching the next generation of scientific innovators: Malaysia and New Zealand perspectives. Keynote presentation at the 7th International Postgraduate Conference on Science and Mathematics (ICON STEM-Ed 2019 - 7th IPCSM), Tanjung Malim, China.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Warren, D. S., Sutherland, S. P. H., Kao, J. Y., Weal, G. R., & Mackay, S. M. (2017). The preparation and simple analysis of a clay nanoparticle composite hydrogel. Journal of Chemical Education, 94(11), 1772-1779. doi: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.6b00389
Journal - Research Article
Brown, K., Shephard, K., Warren, D., Hesson, G., & Fleming, J. (2016). Using phenomenography to build an understanding of how university people conceptualise their community-engaged activities. Higher Education Research & Development, 35(4), 643-657. doi: 10.1080/07294360.2015.1137880
Journal - Research Article
Warren, D., Haynes, E., Weal, G., & Hensley, N. (2016). Science for Supper, a model for undergraduate community engagement. Proceedings of the Science Communicators Association of New Zealand (SCANZ) Conference. (pp. 14). Retrieved from https://www.scanz.co.nz/conference
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Warren, D. (2016, October). Using informal education strategies to develop higher order thinking in science classrooms. Verbal presentation at the International Conference on Education (ICE), Miri, Malaysia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Shephard, K., Daniel, B., Brown, K., Guiney, T., Moskal, A., Warren, D., Hesson, G., & Deaker, L. (2015). Researching the professional development needs of university teachers interested in community-engaged learning, teaching and research. Proceedings of the Tertiary Education Research in New Zealand (TERNZ) Conference. Retrieved from http://www.herdsa.org.nz/ternz/2015/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Warren, D. (2015). Strategies to develop an understanding and adaptation of cultural values in a community engagement program. Proceedings of the Tertiary Education Research in New Zealand (TERNZ) Conference. Retrieved from http://www.herdsa.org.nz/ternz/2015/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Warren, D. (2014, August). Beyond altruism. Verbal presentation at the Science Education for New Civic Engagements and Responsibilities (SENCER) Summer Institute, Asheville, NC.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Warren, D. (2013). The influence of an extended outreach programme on the attitude of year 8 pupils towards science. Proceedings of the 44th Annual Conference of the Australasian Science Education Research Association (ASERA). (pp. 49). Retrieved from https://asera.org.au/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
McMorran, D., & Warren, D. (2012). Taking chemistry out of the lab: Perspectives on chemistry outreach at Otago. Chemistry in New Zealand, 76(2), 56-61.
Journal - Research Article
Tong, A. Y. C., Braund, R., Warren, D. S., & Peake, B. M. (2012). TiO2-assisted photodegradation of pharmaceuticals: A review. Central European Journal of Chemistry, 10(4), 989-1027. doi: 10.2478/s11532-012-0049-7
Journal - Research Article
Savory, D. M., Warren, D. S., & McQuillan, A. J. (2011). Shallow electron trap, interfacial water, and outer-sphere adsorbed oxalate IR absorptions correlate during UV irradiation of photocatalytic TiO2 films in aqueous solution. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 115(4), 902-907. doi: 10.1021/jp102723u
Journal - Research Article
Warren, D. (2011). The impact of outreach on student communication skills and attitudes. In K. Shephard, T. Harland & A. Cohen (Eds.), Proceedings of the Spotlight on Teaching and Learning Colloquium. (pp. 15). Dunedin, New Zealand: HEDC, University of Otago. [Abstract]
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Innes, A., Rusak, S. A., Peake, B. M., & Warren, D. S. (2010). Healthy Harbour Watchers: Community-based water quality monitoring and chemistry education in Dunedin. Chemistry in New Zealand, 74(4), 141-145.
Journal - Research Article
Warren, D. (2010, July). The impact of service learning (outreach) on student communication skills and attitudes. Verbal presentation at the Royal Australian Chemical Institute's 13th National Convention and the 12th IUPAC International Congress of Pesticide Chemistry, Melbourne, Australia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
McMorran, D., Warren, D., & Souness, R. (2009). Bringing inquiry-based learning to the first-year laboratory: Experimenting with conducting polymers. Chemistry in New Zealand, 73(2), 69-75.
Journal - Research Article
Warren, D., McQuillan, J., & Shapira, Y. (2009). A combined in-situ ATR-IR/surface photovoltage spectroscopy study of TiO2 thin films in an aqueous environment. Proceedings of the Australian Colloid and Interface Symposium and the 10th Australia-Japan Colloid and Interface Science Symposium. (pp. 117). Retrieved from https://acis.wildapricot.org/
Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract
Warren, D. S., & McQuillan, A. J. (2008). Infrared spectroscopic and DFT vibrational mode study of perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane) sulfonic acid (PES), a model Nafion side-chain molecule. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 112(34), 10535-10543. doi: 10.1021/jp801838n
Journal - Research Article
Warren, D. S. (2008, July-August). In-situ surface photovoltage spectroscopy of TiO2 thin films in an aqueous environment. Verbal presentation at the International Conference for Electronic Materials, Sydney, Australia.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Warren, D., & McMorran, D. (2008, November-December). New labs for old: Encorporating NCEA practical skills into 1st year chemistry. Verbal presentation at the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry, New Zealand Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the New Zealand Society of Plant Biologists Combined Conference, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs
Warren, D. S., Shapira, Y., Kisch, H., & McQuillan, A. J. (2007). Apparent semiconductor type reversal in anatase TiO2 nanocrystalline films. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 111, 14286-14289.
Journal - Research Article
Yang, J., Warren, D. S., Gordon, K. C., & McQuillan, A. J. (2007). Electronic states and photoexcitation processes of titanium dioxide nanoparticle films dip coated from aqueous Degussa P25 photocatalyst suspension. Journal of Applied Physics, 101, 023714. Retrieved from http://link.aip.org/link/?JAPIAU/101/023714/1
Journal - Research Article
Warren, D. S., & McQuillan, A. J. (2004). Influence of adsorbed water on phonon and UV-induced IR absorptions of TiO2 photocatalytic particle films. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 108, 19373-19379.
Journal - Research Article
PhD (Otago), MSc, BSc (Hons) (London)