Tom Kuntzleman honored with the 2024 Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2024 — The American Chemical Society (ACS) is proud to announce that Tom Kuntzleman, assistant professor of teaching at Wayne State University, has been awarded the 2024 Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach. The ACS Committee on Public Relations and Communications presents this award annually at the ChemLuminary Awards ceremony to an ACS member whose outstanding volunteer achievements have improved public recognition and appreciation for the contributions of chemistry. Kuntzleman received the award at this year's ceremony, which was held in Denver at ACS Fall 2024.

Kuntzleman is an educator, scientist and communicator with a mission to ignite curiosity in people of all ages. With a background in chemistry and a focus on teaching, he has inspired many students and educators by making science engaging and accessible. His journey as an educator began in North Carolina public schools, where he taught 8th-grade science. Through his innovative approaches, he introduced students to the excitement of scientific exploration and discovery.

After earning a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 2005, Kuntzleman has spent the past two decades teaching at the university level. He has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed articles, which serve as valuable resources for science teachers seeking to integrate innovative, active learning into the classroom. He further contributes to the field as an associate editor at the Chemical Education Xchange, where he has published more than 150 blog posts that challenge and enlighten readers on various aspects of science education. He also serves as an honorary fellow at the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy at the University of Wisconsin.

Beyond the academic realm, Kuntzleman is a fervent science communicator, using social media platforms to engage and educate the public. His YouTube channel, "Tommy Technetium," has garnered a following of more than 400,000 subscribers. Meanwhile, his TikTok presence reaches more than 100,000 followers. Kuntzleman has hosted more than 300 presentations, including the popular Coke and Mentos experiments, captivating audiences and sparking widespread interest in science.

Kuntzleman's commitment to making science accessible and engaging has earned him numerous accolades, including the 2023 ChemEd Irwin Talesnick Award, the 2022 YouTube Silver Creator Award and recognition as a highly prolific author by the Journal of Chemical Education. His innovative approaches to chemistry demonstrations and experiments have also been featured in notable publications such as Chemical & Engineering News, which is published by ACS.

Established in 1995, the Helen M. Free Award is an ACS ChemLuminary Award that recognizes outstanding volunteer achievements in public outreach. Free, a former ACS president, initiated many programs and activities designed to improve public awareness of chemistry’s contributions to the quality of daily life. Free passed away in May 2021, but her contributions to chemistry and public outreach live on through the thousands of people whose lives she touched and the awardees who continue her work.