Understanding the basics of d-electron configuration and the spin state of coordination complexes are essential elements of undergraduate inorganic chemistry. However, students in these courses find it difficult to conceptualize the ideas. Here, we have developed an undergraduate laboratory experiment that allows students to systematically…

Infrared spectroscopy (IR) is a staple structural elucidation and characterization technique because of its ability to identify functional groups and its ease of use. Interestingly, it allows the capture of electronic effects via their influence on the bond strength of "probes", such as the carbonyl group and also offers a wealth of…

This study revamps and optimizes the teaching and learning process and instrument for the classic binary vapor-liquid equilibrium experiment by combining activity coefficient model simulations and practical exercises. Our teaching process combines a software simulation and practical exercises. Utilizing Aspen software, students can predict phase…

A two-year long-term workshop centered around a phenotypic whole-cell screening strategy for integrating cutting-edge knowledge and discovery-based laboratory experiences was developed to serve as a preparatory course for enhancing the teaching quality of the upper-level discovery-based research internship curriculum for pharmacy major…

Plant-derived natural products are an important source of potential medicines and continue to have a major impact on the drug discovery process. Natural product discovery assignments provide an opportunity to present various experimental techniques to undergraduate students in introductory medicinal chemistry. This assignment was developed to…

Guided inquiry is the practice of allowing students to come to their own conclusions about a set of data instead of verifying a known result using a given experimental procedure. Open inquiry takes this idea one step further by allowing students to develop their own experiment and then analyze the data to arrive at a conclusion. To expose upper…

Single-type, 8-fold-grooved, commercially accessible interlocking disks (ILDs) have been used for modeling of complex polyhedral and reticular topologies with relevance to inorganic and hybrid materials. The assembly of complex topologies relies on the preparation of secondary building units (SBUs), which exhibit different connectivity than that…

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) incorporate research opportunities into the existing curriculum often by providing alternatives or replacing the traditional cookbook-based laboratory courses. Over the past 50 years, CURE courses have been shown to benefit both students and faculty members alike. Despite the large number of…

Due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (spring 2020), universities quickly moved to remote instruction. Our research during this time frame included investigating course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) in General Chemistry, and we found ourselves in the middle of a CURE study without any laboratory component (aka…

The redesign of an advanced analytical and physical chemistry practical module for senior undergraduates is described in this report. The underpinning rationale for the changes is to use cooperative learning groups placed in situations beyond their previous experience to increase the student experience of Kolb's Learning Cycle to a level greater…

In this guided-inquiry lesson, students were tasked with determining the efficacy of an at-home drinking water filter at removing lead (Pb) from tap water using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy by determining the concentration of lead before and after filtration. The lesson was structured to allow students to choose and perform…

Metamodeling ideas move beyond using a model to solve a problem to consider the nature and purpose of a model, such as reasoning about a model's empirical basis and understanding why and how a model might change or be replaced. Given that chemistry relies heavily on the use of models to describe particulate-level phenomena, developing…

An increased public knowledge of the health benefits of unsaturated fats has resulted in a surge of different cooking oils. Intense advertising of various oil brands claiming to provide the best dietary recommendations often leaves buyers unclear of what their best choices are. Herein, we describe a research-based project for upper-level…

Chemistry curricula in part rely on the use of laboratory demonstrations and experiments. The complex nature of this kind of educational activity has been posing challenges from the very early days of teaching chemistry. As chemistry is an experimental science, one possible approach to make the teaching of this subject more efficient is to use…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) integrate authentic research into undergraduate chemistry laboratories, introducing students to research while simultaneously reinforcing fundamental concepts. Despite their ubiquitous nature in bioanalytical research, few CUREs have been published applying the fundamental techniques of…