Vision: To engage and retain students in the sciences and to better prepare students for research careers in the sciences by providing them with opportunities to gain experience with scientific inquiry, to develop critical reading and communication skills related to relevant scientific subjects, and enhance team work skills.

Funded by: The National Science Foundation Grant (#0410589) allowed for purchase of a new atomic absorption spectrometer and undergraduate student research assistants. Matching Pitt-Con grant. The College of St. Catherine's 3M Faculty/Student Collaborative Research Grants also provided support for undergraduate student research assistants.

Difference made: Students have responded favorable to the case studies, specifically the environmental case study on water quality testing. They better recall the skills and methods to conduct experiments. The undergraduate research assistants have used the experience to secure internships and employment upon graduation (e.g. Medtronic Inc., Valspar Paint, Upsher-Smith Laboratories.

Gina J. Mancini-Samuelson, Ph.D., Principal Investigator: Associate Professor and Chair of Chemistry Department, College of St. Catherine

Undergraduates: Sigrid Barklund, Michelle Caron, Toni Caucci, Sarah Evans, Kelly Wickstrom

The College: The College of St. Catherine has an enrollment of 5,000 with 2,000 undergraduate students (associate, day and weekend baccalaureate, and graduate programs). Baccalaureate level is all-women and we graduate 5-10 chemistry majors per year.

Quantitative Chemical Analysis Laboratory Manual

Click link above for lesson (69.5 MB)

• My First Job as a Chemist: The Quality Control Engineer
• A Vegetarian's Dilemma: Graphing Assignment
• The Mining of Soda Ash: Part 1- Selecting an Indicator
• The Mining of Soda Ash: Part 2- Determination of Sodium Carbonate in Soda Ash by HCl Titration
• The Mystery of Coral Calcium: Gravimetric Determination of Calcium as the Oxalate Salt
• Tablet Study: Determination of Ascorbic Acid in Vitamin C Tablets by Titration with Potassium Bromate
• Beer's Law is Additive - A Model Study: Spectroscopic Determination of a Mixture of Permanganate and Dichromate
• I'm a Science Major. Why Do I Need Calculus? Calculus in Chemistry: Determination of H3PO4 and H2PO4 - by pH Titration Using Derivatives
• Cu in My Well Water? - Spectrophotometic Titration of Copper with EDTA

• Roles- Quality Control Engineer, Clinical Chemist, Industrial Chemist, "Watch Dog" group, FDA and EPA Chemist
  
• Skill Development- Volumetric Procedures, Gravimetric Procedures, Titrations, Graphing, Spreadsheets, Statistics, Random Sampling, Spectroscopy and Beer's Law, pH Meters, Experimental Design, Using Model Systems, Using Calculus in Chemistry, Group Work, Critical Analysis of Data and Written Communication Skills

• Advanced Analytical Chemistry Lab Manual (22.4 MB)
• Dew Drop Pond Analysis (Water Testing Procedures - 226 MB)
• Art Authentication (37 MB)

1. Topic or situation is relevant to students
2. Involves characters with whom the students can identify
3. A driving force such as a decision that needs to be made is central
4. Problem is multi-faceted, including societal, economic, political or ethical considerations

• Existing sites for case studies ("General Chemsitry Case Studies", Kennesaw State University, www.chemcases.com ; "Case Studies in Science", State University of Buffalo at New York, www.ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/project/cases.html )
• Many available for General Chemistry
• Lacked laboratory