Author Biographies

John Holman

After studying Natural Sciences at Cambridge, John Holman became a teacher of chemistry. He has taught in a number of independent and state schools, including Bristol Grammar School where he worked alongside Graham Hill. It was here they started writing Chemistry in Context, and they have worked together ever since.

From Bristol Grammar School John moved to Watford Grammar School for Boys as Head of Chemistry, and later Head of Science. Between 1984 and 1994 he worked as a writer and science education specialist, directing Science and Technology in Society (SATIS), Salters Advanced Chemistry, Science across the World and other national and international projects.

In 1994 John became Head of Watford Grammar School for Boys, an all-ability, multicultural secondary school, where he continued to teach chemistry. In September 2000 he left Watford to become Professor of Chemical Education and Director of the Science Curriculum Centre at the University of York, where he now teaches chemistry at undergraduate level.

John is interested in the teaching of science at all levels, from primary to undergraduate. He has written and contributed to many science textbooks and courses, including Salters Advanced Chemistry and Nuffield Advanced Chemistry. His philosophy of science education is summed up by the title of Chemistry in Context: science is more interesting and enjoyable when it is studied in the context of its everyday applications.

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