The chemistry department will move into the New Science Building in fall 2014. In anticipation, the department requests TAF funds to update and expand instrumentation in the organic and biochemistry instructional laboratories. The requested equipment will positively impact several courses: CHEM 3011, 3021, 2031, 3531, 4531, 4551, and 4231. Total enrollment in these courses in 2012-2013 is 815 students.
The main organic courses, CHEM 3011 and 3021, with enrollment of 541, fulfill requirements for chemistry, biochemistry, and biology majors as well as pre-professional health science students. The new building will provide much-needed space to accommodate these students, but the additional space must be properly equipped in order to take full advantage of it. The biochemistry courses are requirements in the rapidly growing biochemistry B.S. program (instituted in 2008, now with >150 majors) and are important electives for chemistry, biology, general science, forensic science, and pre-professional majors. Biochemistry lab enrollments totaled 184 in 2012-2013. Some of the requested equipment will also be used in the one semester organic (2031) and instrumental analysis labs (4231). Courses in the Molecular Bioscience Ph.D. program are also expected to generate demand for the biochemistry lab equipment.
The requested instrumentation will give students hands-on experience with equipment that is now standard in top industrial and research laboratories. Students will be able to synthesize, separate, and purify chemicals, analyze DNA, assay protein concentrations, and identify unknown compounds. Familiarity with such techniques is crucial for our graduates to maintain a competitive edge in the job market.
