Providing Opportunities for Scholarship and Research Contribution to the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID) Contribution to the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID) Department of Chemistry Howard University Washington, D.C.

Carnegie Initiatives on the Doctorates (CID): Partial List of Partner Departments Duke University Howard University The Ohio State University University of Colorado at Boulder University of Michigan, Ann Arbor University of Texas at Austin University of Wisconsin-Madison

Department of Chemistry, Howard University (CID Leadership Team) Jesse M. Nicholson Paul F. Hudrlik Folahan O. Ayorinde D. Raghavan Yilma Gultneh Charles Hosten Vernon Morris John Harkless Josh Halpern Robert Rosenberg Helen deClercq Jason Matthews Oladapo Bakare Galina G. Talanova Nicole John Ainsley Gibson Olamide Onakoya Ramsey Smith

Major Programmatic Initiatives Flexible Curriculum Early transition to research enterprise Student-specific curriculum Opportunity for interdisciplinarity. Early Assessment of Commitment and Competency (Quality Control) Summer Workshop for incoming graduate students Placement Examinations Special Courses to Enhance Preparedness for Graduate Studies Integration of Professional Development into Curriculum

Mission Statement The Department of Chemistry at Howard University has a deep historical commitment to the training of African Americans and others of African descent. However, we actively recruit and train talented students from all communities, on both the undergraduate and graduate level. The Department fully dedicates itself to developing confident scholars through research, mentoring, professional development, and networking in order for them to excel in the global community. At the graduate level, we seek out promising students who can benefit from the Howard University experience by providing training in funded, and nationally competitive research projects that will prepare them for leadership roles in industrial, government, or university careers.

Goals of the Department To build upon a national recognition as a leading graduate chemistry program as perceived by peer institutions, the National Research Council, the American Chemical Society, and other relevant professional organizations. To develop students who can demonstrate excellent theoretical knowledge, think critically, as well as communicate basic chemistry knowledge and research findings to scientists and students through oral presentations, lectures, peer-reviewed publications, communicate effectively, and supervise undergraduate and graduate research projects.

Broad Objectives To maintain and build upon the role of the Department as a leading provider of doctorate education to students of African descent and other groups that are underrepresented in the chemical profession. Increase graduate student enrollment by 100 percent over a 5-year period Increase Howard’s contribution of the nation’s annual production of African American Ph.D.s from its current 10% to about 15% in a 5-year period (this would depend on the national average production remaining constant)

Broad Objectives, cont. To educate and develop students who are capable of future leadership roles as demonstrated by their ability to formulate new ideas, expand on existing ideas, as well as having the capacity to propagate the vigor and intellectual integrity of the chemistry profession and related fields (Developing future Stewards of the Profession). Increase the annual production of African American doctorates to 7 by 2010

Broad Objectives, cont. To provide significant opportunities in graduate education to those students whose level of preparation may not reflect their true potential. To develop an environment that will foster scientific integrity, and promote collegial atmosphere that enables open exchange of intellectual ideas, and good work ethics.

Following Slides provide some of the programmatic changes

Establishing Core Competency Introduction of Standardized Placement Examinations in Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, and Physical Chemistry. Use ACS exams as placement exams for in-coming graduate students. Students must pass all 4 exams to demonstrate competency of undergraduate material.

Early assessment (quality control) of students’ commitment and competency Failure in any ACS sub-discipline exam Special graduate courses will be offered to enhance preparedness for graduate studies in the sub-discipline Students must pass the ACS exam at the end of the 1 st Semester Failure to pass ACS exams in the 4 sub- disciplines at the end of first semester Student would be placed in the Master’s Program

Flexible and Student-specific Curriculum After passing all ACS exams 15 Hours of Required Advance Chemistry Courses Choice of Interdisciplinary Courses Biochemistry Pharmaceutical Sciences Biology Teaching and Communication

Early Transition to Research Student to join research group end of 2 nd Semester Selection of Advisory Committee end of 2 nd Semester

Encouraging Group Mentoring through an Advisory Committee An Advisory Committee consisting of a Research Advisor and 2 other faculty, at least one must be from a different sub-discipline The Advisory Committee will be included in the Dissertation Committee

Developing Oral Presentation Skills Student to give an “Original Idea” Presentation to the Advisory Committee in the 3 rd Semester. This shall be on a topic other than the students’ research Student to give a defense of thesis proposal to the Advisory Committee. Thesis proposal to be written in form of a grant application, which could be used as a basis for the application for candidacy.

Encouraging greater participation in Friday’s Seminar Series Replacement of Comprehensive Exams with Cumulative Exams The cumulative exams will be based on suggested literature topics and/or topics from departmental seminars. Brown-bag, Coffee, Snacks get-together prior to seminar to foster collegial interaction between students and faculty

Developing Oral Presentation Skills Workshop on business presentation to be sponsored and offered by an Industry Partner (Monsanto, Colgate- Palmolive were past sponsors) Oral Presentation Skills Resume Preparation Interview Skills

Professional Development Each student must enroll in a Professional Development Course that includes workshops in Responsible Conduct of Research Ethical Case Studies Oral Presentation Skills Library Resources Writing Proposals Writing Manuscripts

Preparing Future Faculty Students will be encouraged to enroll in Howard’s Preparing Future Faculty (PFF) Program Teaching and Learning as a Scholarly Activity (GPFF 403) A series of Lectures and Activities focusing on the Pedagogies of Teaching and Learning

Academic Enhancement to Enable Early Quality Control Summer Academic Enhancement Workshop for In-coming Graduate Students 4 weeks of Academic Enhancement in the Core Chemistry Sub-disciplines Preparation for the Placement Exams

Rectruiting Pro-active Recruiting in Collaboration with the Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate (AGEP) The goal is to increase the graduate student enrollment from the current 34 to 60 over a 5-year period, and consistently produce over 5 African American Doctorates per year On-Campus Visitation by Prospective Students Campus Visitation by Chemistry Faculty and Students

Significant transitions to be completed in 2 years Completion of placement exams Affirmation of basic knowledge Completion of required courses Broad and basic knowledge Completion of cumulative exams Exposure to current research literature Presentation of Original Idea Demonstrate ability to formulate new ideas Research Experience Beyond the “technician” stage Oral defense of Research Proposal Depth in knowledge base Contribution to knowledge base Application for Ph.D. Candidacy Professional development