The Department of Chemistry and Physics provides opportunities for undergraduate research in chemistry. The faculty believe that fundamental investigations in the synthesis, characterization and properties of chemical substances provides a means by which students and faculty contribute to their discipline and continually foster improvements and adaptations in their coursework and learning environments. This endeavor transforms students from the skills learning arena at an undergraduate institution to the real world, where they are expected to be problem solvers, with greater insight and confidence. Many students report their results via traveling to professional meetings and all students prepare written reports as a requirement for the experience.
Presently, several permanent faculty are involved in undergraduate research projects. Topics include bioinorganic mimics, applications of vinyl boronic esters, protein purification, synthetic studies on nanoparticles, development of instructional resources, spectroscopic investigations linked to environmental issues to relative reactivity studies. This provides students with a more complete mentoring experience with faculty, gives them increased hands-on access to instrumentation and greater involvemement in the scientific process. For more information about projects that have involved students, visit the web pages of:
Ms. Suzanne Carpenter http://www.chemistry.armstrong.edu/Faculty/sc.htm
Dr. Will Lynch http://www.chemistry.armstrong.edu/lynch/wl.html
Dr. Catherine MacGowan http://www.chemistry.armstrong.edu/Faculty/cm.htm
Dr. Delana Nivens http://www.chemistry.armstrong.edu/nivens/DN.html
Dr. Richard Wallace http://www.chemistry.armstrong.edu/wallace/rw.htm
Dr. William Zipperer http://www.chemistry.armstrong.edu/Faculty/pz.htm
Other Scholarly Activities
In addition to projects involving basic laboratory research, the Department faculty are also involved in a variety of scholarly activities including the development of curriculum materials, the creation and assessment of technology teaching tools, the incorporation of new methods and approaches into existing courses, the design of new courses, and projects that address community and pre-college science education including the delivery of graduate courses in science education. These projects have been supported by grants from a variety of sources including the University System of Georgia, the Eisenhower Higher Education Act: Improving Mathematics and Science Instruction in Georgia, the Chatham County Board of Education, the American Chemical Society, and AASU (specifically, the annual Teaching & Learning grant awards). Faculty involved in such projects regularly disseminate their results at professional meetings and in peer-reviewed publications.
Service Activities:
The Department faculty are involved in many service and learning activities in addition to the research and scholarly activities already described. The faculty advise chemistry and physics majors as well as a wide variety of pre-professional majors and undecided majors. The pre-professional students usually require more specialized advisement since professional schools typically have unique course requirements and extensive application processes. The faculty are also involved with the tracking of alumni, interacting with local area high schools, giving career talks at high schools, giving public lectures and serving as science fair judges. The Department supports a free tutoring service for students in lower level chemistry and physics courses. The tutoring operation is staffed by volunteer department majors. Students interact with faculty in several discipline-related organizations including the Physics club, the Astronomy club and the Student Affiliate of the American Chemical Society (SA-ACS). The SA-ACS chapter has been repeatedly recognized for its activities and provides career information, peer support and a social outlet for interested students. Summer workshops for local pre-college teachers enhance their effectiveness in the classroom to better prepare the college students of tomorrow. Finally, the Department’s outreach program involves students of all ages (elementary to college) and all academic backgrounds (nonacademic community clubs to Advanced Placement science classes).