Chemistry/Chemical Engineering Student-Faculty Conference Thursday, April 5, 2007

Chemistry Faculty Harry Gray Harry Gray Professor of Inorganic Chemistry Vincent McKoy Vincent McKoy Professor of Theoretical Chemistry Mitchio Okumura Mitchio Okumura Professor of Chemical Physics; Executive Officer for Chemistry Douglas Rees Douglas Rees Professor of Biochemistry Brian Stoltz Brian Stoltz Professor of Organic Chemistry Students: Dana Levine, sophomore Dana Levine, sophomore co-chair, CCE SFC committee Abdul Ahad Tariq, junior Abdul Ahad Tariq, junior ARC liaison Brigitta Miyamoto, junior Brigitta Miyamoto, junior Lydia Ng, senior Lydia Ng, senior Arturo Pizano, senior Arturo Pizano, senior

Chemical Engineering Faculty Richard Flagan Richard Flagan Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering; Executive Officer for Chemical Engineering David Tirrell David Tirrell Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; Chair, Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Christina Smolke Christina Smolke Professor of Chemical Engineering Students Ekta Bhojwani, sophomore Ekta Bhojwani, sophomore co-chair, CCE SFC committee Diana Lin, senior Diana Lin, senior Vivek Narsimhan, junior Vivek Narsimhan, junior Haile Xiao, sophomore Haile Xiao, sophomore

Topics of Discussion Update on Course Catalog Update on Course Catalog Ombudspersons Ombudspersons Undergraduate TAs Undergraduate TAs Student-Faculty Interactions Student-Faculty Interactions ChemDraw ChemDraw Ch 4 Ch 4 Ch 21 Ch 21 Ch 102 Ch 102 Ch 10c Ch 10c Ch 80 Ch 80 Senior Thesis Senior Thesis Ch 3b Ch 3b ChE 63, 64 ChE 63, 64 Ch/ChE 91 Ch/ChE 91 Biomolecular Track Biomolecular Track Research Opportunities Research Opportunities Internships/ Post-Graduation Opportunities Internships/ Post-Graduation Opportunities

Update on Course Catalog Issue: Issue: –Ambiguity over alternate-year course offerings –Electives are especially important for completion of tracks in ChE Recommendation: Recommendation: –Clearly denote these courses in the Catalog and on the CCE website –Details of these courses will be published in the final SFC report

Ombudspersons Issue: Need for more effective ombudspersons, especially in larger classes such as Ch 21, 41 Issue: Need for more effective ombudspersons, especially in larger classes such as Ch 21, 41 Recommendation: Recommendation: –Choose ombudspersons early in the term, preferably through student input –Assign several ombudspersons for larger courses, distributed throughout the undergraduate houses

Ombudspersons Further Recommendations: Further Recommendations: –Encourage regular interaction with ombudspersons, so changes can be made throughout the term –Create a feedback form on the CCE webpage, similar to the Mathematics division, with an option for anonymous feedback

Student-Faculty Interactions Issue: Extend student-faculty interactions beyond the classroom Issue: Extend student-faculty interactions beyond the classroom Recommendation: Recommendation: –Hold CCE social mixers periodically –Encourage discussions between advisor/advisee beyond course registration

Undergraduate TAs Issue: Undergraduates are very experienced and uniquely prepared as TAs in certain courses Issue: Undergraduates are very experienced and uniquely prepared as TAs in certain courses Recommendation: Recommendation: –Suggest adding UTAs for lab classes and courses with a large number of students –Ask the faculty board and the President to formalize a system for assigning and funding UTAs

ChemDraw Issue: ChemDraw was previously unavailable to undergraduates in the CCE department Issue: ChemDraw was previously unavailable to undergraduates in the CCE department As a result of SFC discussions, the program is now available for download from the IMSS website for all CCE undergrads free-of-charge As a result of SFC discussions, the program is now available for download from the IMSS website for all CCE undergrads free-of-charge

Ch 4: Synthesis and Analysis of Organic and Inorganic Compounds Issue: Sophomores take Ch4a without having been formally exposed to spectroscopic analysis Issue: Sophomores take Ch4a without having been formally exposed to spectroscopic analysis Recommendation: Recommendation: –Provide suggested reading on relevant spectroscopy prior to the course –Offer tutorials on each form of spectroscopy given by TAs –Provide students with lecture notes prior to weekly meetings

Ch 21: Physical Chemistry Issue: Challenging material and course that is required of both chemistry and chemical engineering options Issue: Challenging material and course that is required of both chemistry and chemical engineering options –Overall focus and direction of curriculum –Quantum chemistry or quantum mechanics? –Disparity in difficulty level for students –Dependent on physics and math background

Ch 21: Physical Chemistry Recommendation: Recommendation: –Examine the physical chemistry curriculum –Coordination with the core curriculum, with special concern towards Ph 2b –Have additional TAs, especially undergraduates –Offer an advanced alternative track: Ch 21a: Ch 125a Ch 21a: Ch 125a Ch 21b: Ch 126 Ch 21b: Ch 126 Ch 21c: Ch 135, Ch/ChE 164, Ch/ChE 165 Ch 21c: Ch 135, Ch/ChE 164, Ch/ChE 165

Ch 102: Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry Issue: As a new course, we should evaluate its effectiveness and placement within the inorganic curriculum Issue: As a new course, we should evaluate its effectiveness and placement within the inorganic curriculum Recommendation: Recommendation: –Continue to offer the course third term –Maintain a similar format for the course: Discussion and practice-based learning Discussion and practice-based learning An “effort-based” grading system An “effort-based” grading system

Ch 102: Introduction to Inorganic Chemistry Further Recommendations: Further Recommendations: –Familiarize students with more rigorous methods of symmetry, group theory and molecular orbital theory –Use the book by Harris and Bertolucci, currently used in both Ch 112 and Ch 21, in addition to the optional texts

Ch 10c: Frontiers in Chemistry Issue: Issue: –Currently available for advanced lab credit for freshmen and sophomores –Lab experience varies greatly between projects Recommendation: Recommendation: –Reduce Ch10c from advanced lab status to general credit

Ch 80: Chemical Research Issue: Ch 80 is ambiguously defined Issue: Ch 80 is ambiguously defined Recommendation: Recommendation: –Develop guidelines of what is expected of students –Enforce submission of progress reports and a final paper –Research advisors should have the primary responsibility of monitoring students’ work

Chemistry Senior Thesis Issue: Unlike other options, no formal avenue exists for senior theses in chemistry Issue: Unlike other options, no formal avenue exists for senior theses in chemistry Recommendation: Recommendation: –Create a faculty committee to read and judge the merits of each thesis –Present students’ senior theses at a seminar attended by students and faculty of the department –Make undergraduate theses from previous years available to students

Ch 3b: Experimental Procedures of Synthetic Chemistry Issue: Allow students to take labs more pertinent to their tracks Issue: Allow students to take labs more pertinent to their tracks The department feels it is important that students get general chemistry lab experience before graduation The department feels it is important that students get general chemistry lab experience before graduation For now, Ch3b will remain a requirement, but discussion will be encouraged on this topic For now, Ch3b will remain a requirement, but discussion will be encouraged on this topic

ChE 63 and 64 Issue: Students feel that ChE 64 should be taught before ChE 63ab Issue: Students feel that ChE 64 should be taught before ChE 63ab ChE 64 will be taught first term next year, and ChE 63ab will be taught second and third term ChE 64 will be taught first term next year, and ChE 63ab will be taught second and third term If this change brings positive feedback and results, the department will make the change permanent If this change brings positive feedback and results, the department will make the change permanent

Ch/ChE 91: Scientific Writing Issue: The intent of the course is good, but it can be adjusted to address student needs Issue: The intent of the course is good, but it can be adjusted to address student needs Recommendation: Recommendation: –Discuss examples of good scientific writing in class (e.g. JACS articles) –Make class meetings into workshops –Teach how to use programs that are useful in scientific writing or making figures

ChE Biomolecular Track Issue: Issue: –Students would like more variety in biomolecular courses –Ambiguity for electives in catalog Recommendation: Recommendation: –Clearly defined possible electives, as well as add additional biology-related electives –Encourage students to take HSS electives that are cross-listed under biology

ChE Research Opportunities Issue: Due to increased class size, it has become more difficult to accommodate students looking for research opportunities Issue: Due to increased class size, it has become more difficult to accommodate students looking for research opportunities Recommendation: Recommendation: –Encourage students to branch into labs in other departments –Ask faculty members that are unable to place interested students in their labs to provide guidance towards contacts at other institutions

ChE Internship/Postgrad Opportunities Issue: Many ChEs plan to go into industry after graduation but are unable to secure internships Issue: Many ChEs plan to go into industry after graduation but are unable to secure internships Recommendation: Recommendation: –Designate a faculty member as a career adviser to help students find suitable internship opportunities –Increase recruiting on campus –Provide lectures and information packets on the basics of interning

Question/Answer Session Update on Course Catalog Update on Course Catalog Ombudspersons Ombudspersons Undergraduate TAs Undergraduate TAs Student-Faculty Interactions Student-Faculty Interactions ChemDraw ChemDraw Ch 4 Ch 4 Ch 21 Ch 21 Ch 102 Ch 102 Ch 10c Ch 10c Ch 80 Ch 80 Senior Thesis Senior Thesis Ch 3b Ch 3b ChE 63, 64 ChE 63, 64 Ch/ChE 91 Ch/ChE 91 Biomolecular Track Biomolecular Track Research Opportunities Research Opportunities Internships/ Post-Graduation Opportunities Internships/ Post-Graduation Opportunities