Tracy Gardner

Teaching Professor, Chemical and Biological Engineering

Tracy GardnerMy current research interests are in the field of pedagogy – understanding how people learn and retain information, skills, and ideas and what teaching methods best support that learning.  Some past research projects included using technology such as pen-enabled devices in the classroom and interactive simulations to provide real-time formative assessment and enhance student learning.  Current projects include:

1) creating engaging, rigorous online courses and online content for face-to-face (F2F) or hybrid (part online and part F2F) courses
2) assessing higher order thinking with online assessments that can be partially or completely graded automatically, even for partial credit, to provide immediate feedback
3) igniting student passions through project-based teaching in core Chemical Engineering courses

My Ph.D. and postdoctoral research, which I continued at some level for several years thereafter, focused on understanding the fundamental behavior of transport through and reaction on inorganic membranes and catalytic membrane reactors. I worked extensively on measuring and modeling transport 1) in zeolite membranes for liquid and vapor separations, 2) of hydrogen in dense Pd and Pd-alloy membranes combined with reaction on a supported catalyst, and 3) in mixed metal oxide membranes for oxygen separation from air.

I also worked on further developing synthesis procedures to macro- and micro- structure inorganic materials and their supports to increase fluxes through supported zeolite thin films and supported and unsupported metals and metal oxides. Both experimental and modeling studies provided insight into the transport mechanisms driving the permeation and separation behavior.

Contact

435 Alderson Hall
1613 Illinois Street
Golden, CO 80401
Office: (303) 273-3846
Fax: (303) 273-3730
tgardner@mines.edu

Education

  • BS, MS – Colorado School of Mines
  • BS (Math and Computer Sciences) – Colorado School of Mines
  • PhD – University of Colorado, Boulder
  • Post-Doctoral Study – TUDelft, The Netherlands

Selected Publications

  • Gardner, T.Q., “Creating and Facilitating an Engaging, Rigorous, Fully-Online Technical Course (or just Online Content for Face-to-Face Courses) – an MEB Example”, presented at the ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition 2020. <https://peer.asee.org/34346>.
  • Barankin, M. D. M., T. Q. Gardner, and J. C. Ganley, “Best Practices in Teaching Unit Ops: the ‘Field Session’ Lab Experience at the Colorado School of Mines”, Proceedings of 2019 ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, <https://www.asee.org/public/conferences/140/papers/26975/view>.
  • Gardner, T.Q., “A Framework to Guide Design of Interactive and Constructive Learning Opportunities”, Proceedings of 2018 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Salt Lake City, Utah, <https://peer.asee.org/29683>.
  • Carreon, M. & T.Q. Gardner. Chapter 20 – Microporous Crystalline Membranes and Their Application for CO2 Separations.  Pore Scale Phenomena – Frontiers in Energy and Environment, Eds. Poate, Illangasekare, Kazemi & Kee, World Scientific Series in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Volume 10, 401-434, 2015.
  • Gardner, T.Q., J.G. Martinek, R.D. Noble, J.L. Falconer. Enhanced Flux through Double-Sided Zeolite Membranes. J. Memb. Sci. 304, 2007, 112-117.
  • Gardner, T.Q., D.M. Ruthven. Chapter 1: NATO-ASI Fluid Transport in Nanoporous Materials Course…a student’s perspective and explanations from a veteran. Fluid Transport in Nanoporous Materials. Eds. J. Fraissard & W.C. Conner. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2006.
  • Li, S., J.G. Martinek, J.L. Falconer, R.D. Noble, T.Q. Gardner. High-Pressure CO2/CH4 Separation Using SAPO-34 Membranes. Ind. & Eng. Chem. Res. 44, 2005, 3220-3228.
  • Gardner, T.Q., J.L. Falconer, R.D. Noble, M.M.P. Zieverink. Analysis of Transient Permeation Fluxes into and out of Membranes for Adsorption Measurements. Chem. Eng. Sci. 58(10), 2003, 2103-2112.