Reported herein is a multidisciplinary laboratory experiment for advanced undergraduate students that includes elements of material synthesis, in the synthesis of cyclodextrin-containing metal-organic frameworks (CD-MOFs), and environmental chemistry, in the use of these MOFs for pollutant removal. This multiday laboratory experiment starts with…

Reported herein is a multidisciplinary experiment for senior-level undergraduate teaching laboratories in the synthesis of the analytes acetaminophen and phenacetin; the fabrication of paper-based devices, using eyeliner, acrylic spray paint, or wax-printing, for sensing of those analytes; and the use of the newly fabricated devices for successful…

Reported herein is the design, implementation, and evaluation of a full-day outreach program for high school girls that focuses entirely on sugar-related activities. The program, which we ran in February 2016 and February 2017, included multiple hands-on sugar-based experiments to increase the participants' interest in and enthusiasm for science.…

Squaraines are a class of organic fluorophores that possess unique photophysical properties, including strong near-infrared absorption and emission. The synthesis of many squaraines involves the condensation of an electron-rich aromatic ring with squaric acid. These reactions are generally refluxed overnight in a benzene-butanol solvent mixture.…

There continues to be a persistent, widespread gender gap in multiple STEM disciplines at all educational and professional levels: from the self-reported interest of preschool aged students in scientific exploration to the percentages of tenured faculty in these disciplines, more men than women express an interest in science, a confidence in their…