Greg Van Patten

Greg.VanPatten@mtsu.edu

Greg Van Patten

Chemistry

Discipline specific equipment

New Science Bldg 3095, 3130

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The General Chemistry Laboratories, CHEM 1111 and 1121, enroll over 1500 students per year (1551 total in Su'13, Fa'13, Sp'14). The upper division Physical Chemistry Labs, CHEM 4331/4341/4361, enroll another 80-100 students per year (89 in Fa'13, Sp'14). None of these labs have seen major curricular or technology updates in the past decade, but updating these labs is a department priority this year. This is especially true of the Gen Chem Lab now that the accompanying lecture courses are undergoing course redesign to improve student success rates. The planned lab updates will incorporate some of the same pedagogical methods being introduced in the lecture, will align the lab course coverage more closely with the lecture, and will introduce entirely new experiments. One important component of the planned update will be the addition of modern measurement apparatus (such as Vernier Corporation measurement probes), allowing automated data collection, digitization, and computer-based data analysis. Experience with these sophisticated but easy-to-use data probes will streamline the lab experience, allow students to increase the number of experiments they complete, and give them crucial experience with advanced data collection and analysis that will make them more competitive for jobs and graduate school placement. The first four listed items are for the Gen Chem Labs, the next six will serve both the Gen Chem and Phys Chem Labs, and the remaining items will be used by the Phys Chem Labs.