Since 1997, the Department of Chemistry and Physics has been awarded >$1,000,000 from the National Science Foundation for the improvement of the instrumentation/curriculum and to award student scholarships. These proposals have allowed the department to acquire a new 300 MHz High Field NMR, a Gas Chromatograph as well as infuse nanotechnology into the curriculum. Below are the titles, amounts and descriptions of these four recent NSF proposals.

Title:  Empowering Financially Disadvantaged Students with Talents in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Information Technology, Mathematics, and Physics

Award Number:  0727716

Total Amt.:  $483,760

Investigators:  Ray Greenlaw, Suzy Carpenter, Chris McCarthy

Abstract

This NSF S-STEM award provides funding for 44 scholarships to needy and academically qualified students in science and math.  This project builds on previous successful grants (CSEMS I and CSEMS II) which have provided over $400,000 in scholarships to AASU students since 2002.  Because Georgia has the lowest college attendance rate in the nation and is experiencing a huge shortage of science and technology workers, this project is particularly important for our region. Advertising and student recruitment will occur through the robust high school recruitment efforts of the involved departments and the university’s admissions office: including high school visits, university open houses, regional college fairs, science fairs, and conferences.  In addition, qualified university students will be identified and contacted by postal mail, email by the appropriate Department Heads, and members of our management team. Qualified candidates will be informed about the program and its goals and encouraged to apply. Candidates will be evaluated, ranked (using a standardized form), and interviewed to ascertain likely professional success. We look for scientific and technical talent as well as ambition, drive, and communication skills. During the course of the scholarship, students will receive support and mentoring from an assigned faculty mentor. Faculty mentors will meet several times each year with scholars to discuss ways to improve our process, student progress, advisement strategies, and emerging career opportunities, among other things. Coupled with these academic resources, members of our management team will provide the students with resources regarding local job fairs, interview skills, and resume preparation.  Pivotal to the project is AASU's extensive CSEMS Web site (re-named CSESM/S-STEM) which makes publicly available an institutional scholarship program start-up-package that includes the extensive performance tracking system that we developed and wrote. This package assists new CSEMS programs in the necessary record-keeping and analysis required for any successful program, thereby freeing up time for developing the program and focusing on mentoring. The site includes a wide range of other useful forms and student-tracking systems, as well as a model on how to get students involved in science and technology.

Project Website: http://www.computing.armstrong.edu/nsf/

Title: CCLI-Enhancing Student Learning By Incorporating X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy

Award Number: DUE-0736706

Total Amount: $149,936

Investigators: Dr. Delana A. Nivens (PI, Chemistry); Dr. Will E. Lynch and Dr. Clifford Padgett (Chemistry), Dr. James Todesca, (History) and Dr. Deborah Jamieson (Art). 

Project Dates: 01/01/2008-12/31/09


This grant provides two-years of funding to allow the Departments of Chemistry, History and Art, Music and Theatre to forge interdisciplinary interactions.  The grant funds the purchase an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer to use to design laboratory experiments and research projects that will examine medieval coins, artwork, archeological artifacts and geological samples.  Specific to the project will be our collaboration with museums in the US and abroad that will allow us to use the non-destructive x-ray chemical analysis of medieval coins to examine the history of the era, specifically the devaluation of currencies during times of economic strife.  In addition, the grant provides funds for undergraduate students to participate in laboratory experiments using the XRF and a summer workshop where science, art and history teachers to learn how science and the humanities can work together to solve problems. 

For more information contact: Dr. Delana Nivens, Delana.nivens@armstrong.edu
912-921-5447

Title: NUE: Vertical Threads for Nanotechnology in the Chemistry Curriculum

Award Number: 0303994

Total Amt. : $100,000 (Estimated)

Investigator: Delana A. Nivens, Will E. Lynch, Ronald R. Williams

Abstract

This Nanotechnology in Undergraduate Education (NUE) award to Professors Delana A. Nivens, Will E. Lynch and Ronald R. Williams of Armstrong Atlantic State University provides for the introduction of nanotechnology in "vertical threads" throughout the university's chemistry curriculum. Synthesis, spectroscopy and adaptation of nanomaterials will be incorporated into the laboratories of a variety of chemistry courses from freshman to senior level. Using vertical threads, general chemistry students will be introduced to the vast, novel and interdisciplinary nature of nanomaterials, thereby maximizing the impact on both chemistry majors and other science majors. Vertical threads allow students to revisit the same nanomaterials with an expanding variety of applications.

The proposal for this award was received in response to the Nanoscale Science and Engineering program announcement, NSF 02-148, category NUE. The focus is on developing laboratories that will introduce the field of nanoscience to undergraduate students. The project is expected to have a positive impact on educating female and minority students and also on students from rural communities.

Title: Enhancing the Undergraduate Chemistry Experience With High Field NMR

Award Number: 9952343

Total Amt. : $91,000(Estimated)

Investigator: Richard H. Wallace, Will E. Lynch

Abstract

Chemistry (12) In order to enhance the undergraduate curriculum, the Department of Chemistry and Physics at the university is acquiring a high field NMR. The instrument is widely used in a number of courses in the department. The acquisition of a high field NMR allows a number of the current laboratories to be more educational and informative for the students, as well as making possible the introduction of a number of new experiments. The NMR spectrometer is used in organic chemistry, instrumental analysis, inorganic chemistry, honors general chemistry, and in several upper level chemistry courses (physical chemistry, biochemistry, and advanced organic chemistry). Undergraduate research students also benefit from having access to a high field NMR on campus. The laboratory experiments being implemented have been adapted from a variety of sources, but primarily from the Journal of Chemical Education. Many of these published experiments have been generated from NSF supported projects. Additional sources of the adapted materials include laboratory texts (modifications and enhancements), and research articles in journals. The NMR is also used by students at nearby Coastal Georgia Community College as part of an existing program in which they visit the university and make use of instrumentation not available on their campus. An additional use of the instrument is in the university's Community Outreach Program in which high school students visit the university and carry out laboratory experiments. Exercises have been developed to introduce high school advanced placement chemistry classes to NMR, one of the most widely used pieces of scientific instrumentation.

Enhancing the Undergraduate Chemistry Experience with Gas Chromatography

Award Number: 9751063

Amount: $18,117 (Estimated)

Investigator: Richard H. Wallace, James T. Byrd, Will E. Lynch

Abstract

A capillary gas chromatograph (GC) is being widely used in a number of courses. The use of this instrument is allowing a number of the laboratories to be more educational and informative for the students, and is making it possible to introduce a number of new experiments into organic chemistry, instrumental analysis, inorganic chemistry, physical science, and several upper-level chemistry courses. New experiments are being added to the physical science courses in an effort to introduce the non-science major to the gas chromatograph, one of the most widely used pieces of scientific equipment. Several of the undergraduate research groups also are benefiting from having a capillary GC available. The capillary GC also is used by nearby Coastal Georgia Community College's students as part of a program in which they make use of the instrumentation at Armstrong for analyzing their laboratory samples. An additional use of the instrument is in Armstrong's Community Outreach Program in which a large number of high school and middle school students visit Armstrong and carry out laboratory experiments.