Transcript Curricular Models for the Involvement of First and Second

Curricular Models for the
Involvement of First and Second
Year Students in Research
Nancy Mills
Department of Chemistry
Trinity University
San Antonio, Texas
Trinity University
Predominantly undergraduate,
Selective,
2400 undergraduates
200 Graduate students
average SAT~1300
Chemistry department,
7 faculty (soon to be 8)
organic (3), inorganic, analytical,
physical, biochemistry (soon to be 2)
Participation of Students in
Research
Total number of undergraduate research students
50
40
30
20
10
0
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
Participation by First and Second
Year Students
60
50
% high school students
% first year students
% sophomores
40
30
20
10
0
1999
2000
(29)
2001
(32)
2002
(32)
2003
(41)
2004
(41)
2005
Curriculum at Trinity
First year
Fall, General Chemistry
Spring, Organic I
Second year
Fall, Organic II
Spring, Inorganic
Third year
Fall, Physical Chemistry I
Spring, Analytical
Third year, diverge into tracks for
BA/BS Chemistry
BS Biochemistry
BS Biochemistry/Molecular
Biology
Research Courses
For credit:
course for first and second years,
Research Techniques and Applications
course for experienced students and juniors/seniors,
Independent Research in Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Prerequisite, junior standing. Formal report required
Honors Thesis
Non-credit Volunteering in a research lab
Hidden Curricular Features
Third semester biology (Cellular and Molecular Biology) requires
one year of chemistry.
Consequences: All premeds start taking chemistry their first year.
Because there is great overlap in the populations of students in the
first three courses in chemistry and biology, there can be curricular
interactions.
Advantages for biology: more chemistry in their early
courses (BIO2010)
Advantages for Chemistry of the
Organization of our Curriculum
Students start taking chemistry their first semester and are
therefore more likely to major in it.
They take organic earlier, arguably more pedagogically
accessible than the general chemistry survey course.
With the skill set of organic techniques, they can go into research
earlier; since the biology research program is smaller than ours,
they come to us.
Consequences
The number of chemistry majors is larger than the norm.
Our upper division courses are healthier because they are
larger.
There is a greater sense of vitality in the department.
And we can involve students in the research lab because they
have had more exposure to sophisticated techniques.
Why do research with “young”,
inexperienced students?
Get to work with students for a longer period of time.
Get more majors.
Create a more vibrant undergraduate chemistry community in
the department.
Most important, give students the opportunity to
explore a career path early in their academic career
Key Elements
Organic early.
Support from the biology curriculum.
Buy-in by the chemistry faculty.
Only Possible at a Selective
Institution?
Trinity University Summer Undergraduate Research Experience
SURE
Funded by NSF-REU
Targeted at students in local two and four year colleges that didn’t
offer a summer research program. Positions were guaranteed for at
least one student at the four community colleges and three fouryear institutions.
This Year’s Group
Laboratory Experience Spectrum
Cookbook labs
Research
Routine technician work
Research
Research Experiences in the
“Formal” Curriculum
Elements of research
Asking a question
Obtaining data to answer the question
Creating new knowledge.
Cookbook labs
“Single” experiment labs, with a question
“Multiple” experiment labs, with a question
Labs with student designed questions (with faculty input)
or
Teaching lab experiences that lead to publication in research
journals
“Single” experiment labs,
with a question
When? The first semester of organic lab (second semester freshmen)
What? Preparation of a propyl benzhydrol ether
OH
Nafion
+
CH3CH2CH2OH
O CH2CH2CH3 or
CH3
O CH
CH3
Issues: Nafion is an acidic catalyst with pores
The most stable cation is the one from benzhydrol but
does it form? Can it fit within the pores?
Does 1-propanol fit within the pores? Does it rearrange?
Not research, but possibly protoresearch.
“Multiple” experiment labs, with a question
Friedel-Crafts acylation on “unknown” aromatic compound
Pedagogical goals: NMR processing and analysis; vacuum distillation.
Aldol condensation with many different combinations of
substituted benzaldehydes and symmetrical and unsymmetrical
ketones
Pedagogical goals: recrystallization, NMR analysis and processing,
Chemical Abstracts searching for MP data
Grignard reaction to prepare suite of substituted benzoic acids
Pedagogical goals: capillary electrophoresis to examine relationships
between substituents and acidity, moisture sensitive reaction
Experiments from other
colleges/universities
Preparing Students for Research: Synthesis of Substituted Chalcones
as a Comprehensive Guided-Inquiry Experience, J. R. Vyvyan, D. L.
Pavia, G. M. Lampman, G S. Kriz J Chem Ed, 2002 79, 1119
The Oxidation of Alkylbenzenes: Using Data Pooling in the
Organic Laboratory to Illustrate Research in Organic Chemistry,
James C. Adrian Jr. and Leslie A. Hull, J Chem Ed 2001 78, 529.
The Centerpiece of a Research-Oriented Curriculum, T. W.
Hanks and Laura L. Wright, J. Chem. Ed.2002 79, 1127.
Labs with student designed
questions (with faculty input)
Second semester organic lab: Enzymatic reduction of a b-keto ester
O
O
OEt
Method 1, Baker's yeast
OH O
Method 2, NaBH4
OEt
Chiral in enzymatic reduction
Racemic in chemical reduction
Can we “model” the active site by varying the size of the b-keto ester?
O
Options:
O
O
from transesterification of
OR
O
O
via Meldrum's acid,
R
OEt
O
O
O
O
R
OtBu
O
O
O
OEt
via Claisen condensation
R
Taken from an article by Michael North, Journal of Chemical Education, 1998, 75, 630-1.
Other research-type experiments
A Research-Based Sophomore Organic Chemistry Laboratory, D.
Scott Davis, Robert J. Hargrove, and Jeffrey D. Hugdahl
J Chem Ed, 1999 76, 1127
Organic Chemistry Lab as a Research Experience, Thomas R.
Ruttledge J Chem Ed 1998 75, 1575
Honors Cup: Incorporating a synthetic project competition in
second semester undergraduate organic chemistry. A.C.
Gottfried, B. P. Coppola, Philadelphia ACS meeting, CHED
74
Experiments based on Faculty
Research
A New Investigative Sophomore Organic Laboratory Involving
Individual Research Projects, Gregory B. Kharas. J Chem Ed.
1997 74, 829
The Baker’s Yeast Reduction of Keto-Esters in Organic Solvents:
A One Week Research Project for Undergraduate Students,
Michael North, Journal of Chemical Education, 1998, 75, 630-1.
Baker’s Yeast Reduction of b-Keto Esters in Petrol, Michael
North, Tetrahedron Lett 1996, 1699
Research Experiences in High
School Chemistry Labs
Classroom Research: GC Studies of Linoleic and Linolenic
Fatty Acids Found in French Fries, Janice P. Crowley, Kristen
L. DeBoise, Megan R. Marshall, Hannah M. Shaffer, Sara
Zafar, Kevin A. Jones, Nick R. Palko, Stephen M. Mitsch,
Lindsay A. Sutton, Margaret Chang, Ilana Fromer, Jake Kraft,
Jessica Meister, Amar Shah, Priscilla Tan, and James
Whitchurch J Chem Ed 2002 79, 824
Bottom line
It is possible to design experiments that answer a question in a
way that mimics a research-type experiment in the first two
years of the chemistry curriculum.
It is possible to involve students in undergraduate research in a
meaningful way very early in their academic careers.