Teaching graduate students the entanglements of the interdisciplinary field of electrochemical DNA biosensors in microfluidics can be challenging, as it involves multiple fields of research strongly interacting with each other. Yet, electrochemical biosensors coupled with the improved hydrodynamics of microfluidics allow for simpler, more…

This laboratory experiment offers a research-style experience designed for senior undergraduate students in a multidisciplinary laboratory setting. The experiment focuses on the synthesis, characterization, and application of a cation-exchange membrane made of COF-SO[subscript 3]Na/PAN for ion separation. By participating in this practical…

Early research experiences play an important role in shaping students' academic and professional development and future career path. While many colleges and universities offer undergraduate students the chance to engage in research, a significant number of high school students face limited or no access to such opportunities. Initiatives such as…

The complete structural analysis and resynthesis of an unknown compound, selected from a library of dipeptides, provided a framework for a course that built from expository experiments toward a guided-inquiry approach. We used this semester-long lab as a replacement for conventional second semester organic chemistry laboratory and successfully…

The development of the skills to read and understand scientific literature is crucial to the future success of students. A literature review project was introduced into an organic chemistry laboratory course, in which undergraduate students were asked to acquire the skills of scientific literature searching, reading, and summarizing. The course…

Triboluminescence is a fascinating phenomenon that can engage students' interest in chemistry. However, safe, cost-effective, and accessible laboratory experiments featuring highly triboluminescent substances are limited. To bridge this gap, we present a simple, rapid, semimicro test tube preparation of the visually engaging manganese complex…

Electrophoresis is integral to analytical and biochemistry experiences in undergraduate education; however, fundamental principles of the method are often taught in upper-level laboratories through hands-on experiences. A laboratory activity is reported that teaches the concepts of electrophoretic mobility and electroosmotic flow. A single…

The COVID-19 pandemic emphasized the importance of peer communication networks for student outcomes. Herein, we describe the use of supplemental instructional videos created by former students and integrated into electronic lab notebooks, to restore the lost community-learning component using student voices in a de-densified upper-division…

Few laboratory exercises exist that introduce undergraduate students to both the concepts and instrumentation used in rotational spectroscopy. Because of this gap in undergraduate laboratory training, a teaching laboratory for the pure rotational spectroscopy of benzonitrile has been developed and reported. Owing to benzonitrile's recent discovery…

Experimental methods for determining 3-D atomic structures, such as crystallography, are rarely taught in the undergraduate curriculum, yet are considered to be the norm for 3-D structure determination in a research setting. Although a fully physical understanding of crystallography takes years of practice, practical applications and basic…

Acid-base titration laboratories are perennially offered to general chemistry students in preparation for summative assessments of their hands-on and quantitative skills in the field. Here, we present a guided inquiry-based activity focused on total titratable acidity (TTA) as alternative to standard "cookbook" titration laboratory work.…

A fluorometer is a device that measures the spectroscopic properties of fluorescent materials, and fluorometry is used widely in chemistry research settings to characterize fluorescent samples. One of the obstacles faced by undergraduate programs looking to implement fluorometer-based experiments into their laboratory curriculum is the high cost…

The Spring 2020 semester students were faced with the challenge of adjusting how they learned in the middle of the semester, as the situation changed from instructors holding group office hours and study sessions for the upcoming midterm exams to faculty and students scrambling to gather their belongings before the impending lockdown. Immediately…

Laboratory report assignments for non-major and introductory classes can be challenging because the students are unfamiliar with the type of technical writing required and the subject matter. These issues for the student make the grading for the instructor difficult and time consuming. Determining the level of detail to require, the format, and…

Since the sudden emergence of COVID-19 global pandemic, all educational institutions have looked to move resources and delivery online. Some institutions had already embraced delivering instruction in this way; however, broader adaptation to this teaching style is new to many educators. While the teaching of theoretical concepts is more easily…