Owing to the critical role of stereochemistry in biotechnology, medicine, and industry, it must be well represented in undergraduate lab curricula. To achieve these stereochemical laboratory requirements without sacrificing existing lab techniques, we modified two standard laboratory experiments to include chiral GC analysis as follows. (1) The…

An organic chemistry experiment designed for senior undergraduates focuses on bifunctional catalysis, a critical yet often omitted topic at the undergraduate level, but essential for advanced studies in chemistry. By utilization of a tertiary amine-thiourea catalyst in the asymmetric Michael addition reaction, the experiment showcases the…

Hands-on laboratory courses seldom appear in biomedical engineering (BME) graduate programs, thus limiting graduate students' ability to acquire wet laboratory skills like cell culturing. At large, BME graduate programs rely on ad hoc training provided by senior graduate students; however, this method cannot be extended to new or non-BME…

Undergraduate laboratory courses are vital for both enhancing student learning and preparing students for their future careers. Despite their importance, laboratory courses are often met with a lack of enthusiasm from students. For pre-health students specifically, laboratory courses are commonly seen as part of a check-list that needs to be…

When structure-property relationships are discussed in inorganic chemistry and materials science, the common perception is that materials with the same composition and atomic arrangement have the same properties. In this laboratory experiment, we show that "processing"--the exact conditions under which materials are made--can in fact…

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…

Lakes are artists' pigments made from colorants bound to an inert substrate, usually hydrated aluminum oxide. Before the late 19th century, lakes were made from natural pigments extracted from plants and insects, extracted either directly from the dyestuff or indirectly from waste materials generated in the manufacture of dyed textiles. The first…

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) can provide undergraduate students access to research opportunities when student and faculty resources are limited. In addition to expanding research opportunities, CUREs may also be explored as a pedagogical tool for improving student learning of course content and laboratory skills, as well…

There is little doubt that the pandemic has had a significant impact on students' academic achievement and mental health across the K-16 spectrum. For undergraduate chemistry instructors, data on the number of laboratories students completed in high school and in what mode would be important information in considering what modifications could be…

Natural sciences can be difficult to grasp because physical and chemical phenomena can take place across time and length scales that are beyond the reach of human perception. This problem is particularly true for students attempting to learn about microfluidics, a discipline that involves intricate engineering methods and fluid phenomena that are…

Spin crossover (SCO) materials that switch between two different spin states, that is, the high spin (HS) and the low spin (LS) state, with very different optical, magnetic, and structural properties offer a unique platform to understand the consequences induced by the different electronic configurations of transition metal complexes. Due to the…

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a rapid and powerful method for evaluating the pore structure of membranes. However, the application is limited due to the lack of appropriate training of engineers in electrochemistry and materials engineering. The introduction of laboratory practices can effectively improve the understanding of…

The ability to elucidate the structure of organic compounds from their nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), and mass spectrometry (MS) spectra is an essential skill, particularly for those engaged in the fields of synthetic and analytical organic chemistry. Spectral analysis constitutes a fundamental component of the curriculum for all…

Online teaching has drastically increased over recent years. Although presentation of teaching videos in 360-degree on Virtual Reality headsets was shown to be more immersive than 2D videos, it is under debate whether people learn better from immersive 360-degree videos or 2D videos. The current preregistered study aimed to compare students'…

As an introduction to quadrupolar effects in NMR spectroscopy, students use low field ([superscript 1]H, 60 MHz), benchtop [superscript 13]C NMR spectroscopy to contrast the spin-spin coupling behavior of [superscript 13]C to the dipolar [superscript 1]H and quadrupolar [superscript 2]D in familiar solvents C(H/D)Cl[subscript 3], C(H/D)[subscript…