Teaching the VSEPR (valence shell electron-pair repulsion) model can be a tedious process. Traditionally, Lewis structures are drawn and the number of "electron clouds" (groups) around the central atom are counted and related to the standard VSEPR table of possible geometries. A simpler method to deduce the VSEPR structure without first drawing…

In the past 30 years, university-level chemistry education in China has been experiencing significant changes because of the rapid expansion of its university education system. These changes are reflected in improvements to the existing education goals, classroom teaching methods, textbooks, teaching facilities, teacher profiles, lab activities,…

Discusses a history exhibit of the American Chemical Society, now on national tour. Focuses on lecture to laboratory, chemistry in early America, the Civil War era, the research model, the early twentieth century, the post-war era, textbooks, and the recent past. (MVL)

Discusses several issues important to chemistry: enticing top-notch students into the discipline, keeping up with the tremendous growth of chemical information, and promoting chemistry to the general public. Suggests eight methods to answer these issues. (MVL)