Publications,

Outreach Events,

Grants,

and In the News

Dr. Danielle Garrett

Associate Professor

Recipient of the 2022 Tennessee Academy of Science Distinguished College/University Teacher Award

Dr. Maria Danielle Garrett, Associate Professor, joined Belmont University in the fall of 2014. She graduated Suma Cum Laude with her B.S. from the University of Tennessee, where she majored in Chemistry and minored in English. After graduating, Dr. Garrett began her studies as a graduate student in the Chemistry Department at Vanderbilt University, where her research work focused on band edge recombination in cadmium selenide, cadmium sulfide and cadmium sulfo-selenide alloy nanocrystals observed by ultrafast fluorescence upconversion. After completing her Ph.D., Dr. Garrett went on to receive her MAT from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Dr. Garrett has a diverse perspective on teaching, as her teaching experience lies in the high school and college levels. Dr. Garrett strives not only to implement a teaching style that has a strong foundation of student interaction, emphasizes practical applications and encourages thinking outside the box, but also to help students grow and cultivate their love of learning and science, finding a deeper appreciation for the world around them. She has taught courses in physical science, chemistry, physics and physical chemistry.

Dr. Garrett has served as faculty research advisor for undergraduate students, several of whom have made presentations at the Tennessee Academy of Science (TAS), the Southeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society (SERMACS), and the American Chemical Society (ACS) national meeting. Her primary research interest is greener options in the chemistry classroom. Dr. Garrett currently teaches general chemistry, GOB (general, organic, and biochemistry) for nursing majors, problem solving in chemistry and several special studies chemistry courses, including a survey of green chemistry and sustainability, principles and methods of peer tutoring in chemistry, and chemistry outreach through the lens of scientific literacy. Dr. Garrett is heavily involved in the development and implementation of STEM outreach events for high school students and teachers. Dr. Garrett, an ACS Science Coaches program participant from 2014 to 2025, continues chemistry outreach with 4th grade students and teachers at a local school. She has also extended her work to include the 6th grade.

Publications

Garrett, M.D. Exploring Wavelength: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of LEDs. Green Chemistry Teaching and Learning Community. 2025. (Learning Object)

Garrett, M. D. and Mei, H. Making the Invisible, Visible – A Kinesthetic Analogy for Collision Theory, Chem. Educator. 2023, 28, 95 - 99. (Abstract)

Garrett, M. D. It’s Easy Being Green: A Snapshot of a Professional Development Program Focused on Greener Laboratory Options in the Chemistry Classroom through the Lens of a Titrimetric Analysis of Milk of Magnesia and Vinegar, Chem. Educator. 2020, 25, 184 - 193. (Abstract)

Garrett, M. D. Interdisciplinary Learning Communities: Bridging the Gap Between the Sciences and the Humanities Through Forensic Science. In Teaching Chemistry with Forensic Science; Editor, Harper-Leatherman, A. S.; Huang, L.; ACS Symposium Series 1324; American Chemical Society: 2019, pp 109 - 136. Web Release Date: 26-Sept-2019; DOI: 10.1021/bk-2019-1324.ch007 (Abstract)

Garrett, M. D. and Garrett, J. B. Wavelength Analysis of LEDs using Handheld Spectroscopes, Chem. Educator. 2017, 22, 130 - 134. (Abstract)

Garrett, M. D. The Effectiveness and Range of Natural Acid-Base Indicators, Chem. Educator. 2016, 21, 36 - 39. (Abstract)

Bowers, II, M. J., McBride, J. R., Garrett, M. D., Sammons, J. A., Dukes, III, A. D., Schreuder, M. A., Watt, T. L., Lupini, A. R., Pennycook, S. J. and Rosenthal, S. J. Structure and Ultrafast Dynamics of White-Light-Emitting CdSe Nanocrystals, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2009, 131, 5730 - 5731. (Abstract)

Garrett, M. D., Dukes, III, A. D., McBride, J. R., Smith, N. J., Pennycook, S. J. and Rosenthal, S. J. Band Edge Recombination in CdSe, CdS and CdSxSe1-x Alloy Nanocrystals Observed by Ultrafast Fluorescence Upconversion: The Effect of Surface Trap States, J. Phys. Chem. C 2008, 112, 12736 - 12746. (Abstract)

Kippeny, T. C., Bowers, II, M. J., Dukes, III, A. D., McBride, J. R., Orndorff, R. L., Garrett, M. D. and Rosenthal, S. J. Effects of Surface Passivation on the Exciton Dynamics of CdSe Nanocrystals as Observed by Ultrafast Fluorescence Upconversion Spectroscopy, J. Chem. Phys. 2008, 128, 084713. (Abstract)

Garrett, M. D., Bowers, II, M. J., McBride, J. R., Orndorff, R. L., Pennycook, S. J. and Rosenthal, S. J. Band Edge Dynamics in CdSe Nanocrystals Observed by Ultrafast Fluorescence Upconversion, J. Phys. Chem. C 2008, 112, 436 - 442. (Abstract)

Outreach Events

It’s Easy Being Green: Budget-Friendly Safety-Conscious Chemistry Labs for the Secondary Science Classroom of Today half-day spring workshop series for physical science and chemistry teachers (2025 - present)

Garrett, M. D. Wavelength; A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of LEDs. Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2025.

It’s Easy Being Green: Budget-Friendly Safety-Conscious Chemistry Labs for the Secondary Science Classroom of Today summer workshop series for physical science and chemistry teachers (2015 - present)

Garrett, M. D. Some Summer “Light” Readings and Floating Fun. Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2025.
Garrett, M. D. Conceptual Chemistry - It's Math-Lite: Exploring Equilibrium, Half-Lives, and More. Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2023.
Garrett, M. D. Concentration on C: Colorimetry, Calibration Curves, and Chemical Kinetics. Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2022.
Garrett, M. D. Glow Stick Reaction Rates… Another One Lights the Dark. Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2021.
Garrett, M. D. "Go Green with G3: Garden Indicators, Gases and Galvanic Cells." Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2019.
Garrett, M. D. "Beat the Heat, Catch a Wave and Make it Float." Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2018.
Garrett, M. D. "Please Pass the Salt: Chemistry – It’s 'Saltsational.'” Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2017.
Garrett, M. D. "Cranberry Chemistry: Science with Superfruits." Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2016.
Garrett, M. D. "Spice Up Your Chemistry Lab with Neutralization Reactions." Belmont University: Nashville, TN, 2015.