DONALD L. SHOWALTER
Professor of Chemistry
University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point
Stevens Point, WI

Donald L. Showalter is originally from Louisville, Kentucky. He received a B.S. degree from Eastern Kentucky University (1964) and a Ph.D. degree in Inorganic/Radiochemistry from the University of Kentucky (1970). He spent a year as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Oregon State University Radiation Center (1971).

Dr. Showalter began his teaching career at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point in 1971. He left Stevens Point in 1973 to join the faculty of Iowa Western Community College as Professor of Science and Mathematics. After three years in Iowa, he returned to Stevens Point where he is currently Professor of Chemistry.

In 1980 Dr. Showalter received the UWSP Outstanding Teaching Award. He was selected in 1984 to be the first Director of UWSP's Center For Faculty Development.  He frequently serves as a Teaching Consultant for University faculty. Dr. Showalter was the recipient of the 1990 Visiting Scientist Award from the Western Connecticut Section of the American Chemical Society. In 1992 he was given Distinguished Achievement Award by the Academy of Letters and Science at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. In 1994 he received the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents Excellence in Teaching Award.

Dr. Showalter has been very active in promoting the use of chemical demonstrations in all levels of science education. He has presented or co-presented with Marv Lang over five hundred chemical demonstration programs or workshops intended to excite and educate students, teachers and the general public as to the wonders of chemistry. Programs have been presented at Epcot, Disneyland, the U.S. Congress, the Smithsonian Museum of American History, the Great Lake Science Museum in Cleveland, in Hawaii, the Oxford University in England, and at Helsinki University in Finland.  Television appearances include The Ira Joe Fisher Show in Cincinnati and Newton’s Apple in Minneapolis. In 1987, Dr. Showalter began serving as the television demonstrator for "The World of Chemistry" -- a twenty-six part videotape series sponsored by the Annenberg CPB Project. The series is shown on Public Television throughout the United States and in twenty-five foreign countries.  However, the videotape series has found its greatest use in high school chemistry classes.

Dr. Showalter's research interests lie in the area of radiochemistry and its application to the analysis of environmental samples. He serves as a consultant to the Radiation Protection Group at the State Laboratory of Hygiene in Madison, Wisconsin. Another interest is in the area of chemical education - how to best communicate the concepts of chemistry to students, K- 16, and the general public.