Joseph Houck

Joseph Houck is a Teaching Professor and Assistant Department Head for Undergraduate Curriculum in the Department of Chemistry at Pennsylvania State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Virginia (2013) and a B.S. in Chemistry with a secondary emphasis in Education from Juniata College (2008). His research focuses on chemical education, alternative assessments, and organic chemistry, particularly sphingosine kinase inhibitors. He has been recognized with awards such as the C.I. Noll Award for Teaching Excellence (2023) and the Priestley Teaching Prize (2022).

His educational background includes roles as a Lecturer at the University of Maryland (2013–2016) and participation in leadership programs like the PKAL STEM Leadership Institute (2017). His publications span chemical education innovations, outreach initiatives, and medicinal chemistry. He has contributed to the development of chemistry camps for elementary students and integrates digital tools to enhance learning.

• Education: Ph.D., University of Virginia (2013); B.S., Juniata College (2008)
• Affiliations: Eberly College of Science, Penn State Chemistry Department
• Leadership: United States National Chemistry Olympiad Mentor (2019–2023)

His awards reflect a commitment to teaching excellence and innovation, including a 2025 Opportunity Grant from Penn State and the University of Maryland’s Dean’s Outstanding Lecturer Award (2015). He has collaborated on projects such as integrating electronic lab notebooks and designing outreach programs to engage K-12 students in chemistry.