Lipidomics is a discipline that focuses on the identification and quantification of lipids. Although a part of the larger omics field, lipidomics requires specific approaches for the analysis and biological interpretation of datasets. This article presents a series of activities for introducing undergraduate microbiology students to lipidomic…

We developed a curriculum for an upper-level molecular biology course-based undergraduate research laboratory class funded by a National Science Foundation CAREER grant that focuses on identifying new small proteins in the bacterium, "Escherichia coli." Our CURE class has been continually offered each semester for the last 10 years, with…

The current work develops intelligent tutoring aspects for the DiscoverOChem learning platform. Intelligent tutoring systems are technology-based learning systems that can adapt the learning experience to better serve individual users. DiscoverOChem (www.discoverochem.com) is a free Internet-based platform for learning undergraduate-level organic…

A modified apparatus for measuring surface tension with the bubble-pressure method is proposed. Compared with a traditional instrument, this apparatus improved the accuracy of maximum pressure difference measurement and achieved the hydrostatic pressure correction. The apparatus was employed to determine the surface tension values of distilled…

Social justice is increasingly being seen as relevant to the science curriculum. We examine the intersection of participatory science, social justice, and higher education in the United States to investigate how instructors can teach about social justice and enhance collaborations to work toward enacting social justice. Participatory science…

There is widespread misuse of statistics in research, particularly in the life sciences, which is one of the contributing factors to reproducibility concerns in research. However, the formal quantitative training that life sciences research trainees receive is often quite limited. Our survey of statistics requirements in undergraduate life…

A student experiment that uses QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe) methodology for extraction and HPLC for quantitative determination of tocopherols from seeds and nuts is described here. Chromatographic separation is achieved by using a pentafluorophenyl stationary phase which gives enhanced separation of the tocopherols…

The laboratory experiment presented here describes the use of a calcium ion-selective electrode (Ca-ISE) to determine the concentration of zinc in a supplement tablet. This approach was developed to show students how to expand the range of applications of Ca-ISE to enable the determination of metal ions other than Ca[superscript 2+]. To determine…

Infrared (IR) spectroscopy and catalysis represent two of the most practically relevant topics in chemistry, but they are normally taught in separate contexts at the undergraduate level. Although IR spectroscopy is introduced to students as a tool for organic compound characterization, it also finds wide applicability in the investigation of…

Over a decade has passed since faculty members' goals for the undergraduate chemistry instructional laboratory were first investigated on a large, national scale in the United States. This study revisits these goals, using data from a 2022 national survey of chemistry faculty members in the United States (n = 521) to investigate current…

Materials science research has expanded significantly in recent years; a multidisciplinary field, home to an ever-growing number of chemists. However, our general chemistry degree courses have not changed to reflect the rise in interest in this topic. In this paper, we propose a laboratory experiment for the undergraduate chemistry practical…

Chemistry in water is an emerging field that fulfills the fifth principle of green chemistry: replacing toxic organic solvents with their benign counterparts. Although some pharmaceutical industries have developed and adopted chemistry in water, its implementation in teaching laboratories is still limited. Therefore, we have designed an experiment…

Protein structure and function are important concepts in the biochemistry curriculum. A three-part CURE was developed to be used in an undergraduate biochemistry course that enhances student learning of these aspects in addition to practicing oral and written communication skills. Students used three protein-protein docking programs (PRISM,…

The educational benefit of the traditional didactic lecture to learners in Higher Education is hotly debated. Given increasing student numbers, existing technical set ups and many logistical concerns, lectures remain the norm in many Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). In this personal view piece, we discuss the benefits, opportunities, and…

There has been a growing emphasis on integrating green and sustainable chemistry (GSC) into the curriculum. Unfortunately, there is yet to be a nationwide, uniform decision of which aspects should be included or how, leaving individual instructors or institutions to decide whether--and how--to address GSC knowledge. Furthermore, faculty nationwide…