The recent popularity of benchtop (BT) NMR systems has prompted its applications in undergraduate laboratories around the world. Owing to their low maintenance cost, due to the lack of a superconducting magnetic core, and simple operation, these BT NMR systems can fulfill many of the learning objectives outlined in the undergraduate organic…

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many higher education institutions to offer their courses online, which is quite challenging when implementing laboratory sessions. Here we describe a web-based teaching resource consisting of a metallographic atlas with more than 200 micrographs corresponding to pure metals, binary alloys, steels, cast irons, and…

Many science departments encourage students to gain experience conducting research. However, finding ecological research projects that allow students to test a hypothesis in the field, over the relatively short time span of a semester, can be challenging. This article describes an inquiry-based research activity examining the influence that urban…

The rapid development of molecular biotechnology presents a curricular challenge for educators trying to provide students with relevant coursework. A comprehensive biology education should also include opportunities for students to develop intellectual and technical skills through authentic research experiences. Integrating relevant and…

While lab accidents that involved personal injuries or significant property damage are required to be reported by law, many minor lab incidents or near misses are less frequently reported, especially in an academic research environment. However, public awareness of these stories and incidents create valuable learning opportunities and can prevent…

The variation in curricular approaches to and content of chemical safety instruction in undergraduate programs highlight the need for a more comprehensive, integrative approach. This work describes the efforts of two institutions, Wittenberg University and St. Olaf College, to develop and to implement a chemical safety curriculum across the…

Communicating science with nonexperts (SciComm) is an important scientific practice. SciComm can inform decision making and public policies. Recently, seminal reports have indicated that SciComm is a practice in which students should engage. Unfortunately, students have few opportunities to engage in SciComm, partially due to the absence of a…

By focusing on food and a pervasive contaminant, this experiment engages student interest and effort while providing essential instruction and experience. As institutions are challenged by existing and emerging budgetary constraints, this experiment offers a determination approach employing commonly available instrumentation, the graphite furnace…

Professional competence is a necessary component of a person's professionalism in any area. The aim of the research is the formation of the professional activity of a future competitive specialist in the educational process of universities for the system-structural organization of professional training of biology students. The analysis of a wide…

Resonance is a fundamental concept that is necessary for students' successful learning in organic chemistry. However, there is a need to know more about both (1) what students find important when describing resonance and (2) students' conceptual understanding. This research seeks to address this discrepancy by examining second-semester organic…

Herein, we describe an accessible and safe organic chemistry lab experiment that can be completed at home. Liquid-liquid extraction is a fundamental organic chemistry lab experiment that touches on topics such as chemical structure, density, solubility, and acid-base chemistry. Given the increased demand for safe organic chemistry experiments that…

As teaching laboratories stand empty in light of COVID-19, we extended the practical experience from the laboratory to the safety of the students' homes. We developed a simple, robust, and versatile at-home experiment that teaches solution preparation, calibration curves, real-life sample preparation, and data analysis to second-year analytical…

The identification of coloring substances is a relevant task in the field of conservation and restoration, but it can be challenging as in real samples the target analytes are inserted in a very complex matrix made of binders and additives. Understanding this concept is fundamental for upper-division undergraduate students interested in…

The use of three-dimensional printing in chemistry education has expanded greatly in the past 10 years. The technique has been used to demonstrate a range of concepts including molecular structure, orbitals, and point groups; to produce chemical equipment such as cuvettes and columns; and even to print out mathematical shapes and functions. Here,…

This article reports on the implementation of a CURE project in an upper-level analytical chemistry course to engage a larger number of students in research at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI). The lab course syllabus was modified to provide students with an opportunity to experience the process of conducting research through a project…