Chemistry

This research course allows a student to participate in 8-10 hours per week on lab tasks, including data analysis and preparation for meetings with the lab supervisor. 

The final grade is based on lab task participation and an oral presentation. 

This one-unit elective course is designed for junior students in the Department of Chemistry who are interested in contemporary research in chemistry-related fields. The prerequisites for this course are General Chemistry (I)(II), Organic Chemistry (I)(II), and Analytical Chemistry (I)(II).
Students are expected to attend a weekly group seminar, and give one to two 30-minute oral presentations of literature review or their research progress. Students are not required to enroll in this course concurrently with Chem 3041: Research Training for Junior (I).

The course provides a wide-ranging introduction to fundamental principles of chemical structure and reactivity for students who intend to major in Science or Engineering disciplines. The topics covered will include the electronic structure of atoms and and how that relates to the properties of the elements; ways in which the properties of substances are determined by their composition and bonding; nature of the interactions, and reactions, between substances; importance of energy, and energy flows, in understanding chemical and physical processes; and importance of chemistry in understanding ourselves, in our society, and in our environment.

This is a special studies course involving an internship with a corporate, public, governmental, or private organization, arranged with the Study Center Director or Liaison Officer. Specific internships vary each term and are described on a special study project form for each student. A substantial paper or series of reports is required. Units vary depending on the contact hours and method of assessment. The internship may be taken during one or more terms but the units cannot exceed a total of 12.0 for the year.

This course seeks to immerse students in a professional work environment. Students have the opportunity to observe and interact with co-workers, and learn how to recognize and respond to cultural differences. Students compare concepts of teamwork and interpersonal interactions in different cultures as experienced on the job. Seminar work helps students apply academic knowledge in a business setting and identify opportunities to create value within the company. Students research a specific topic related to their work placement and present their findings in a final research report.

This course examines the main environmental and sustainability issues experienced by our society through the lens of a chemist. Students will discover how fundamental chemistry principles can explain the rise of many of these issues but also provide solutions to address them. It answers questions such as: how do human activities affect the quality of water leading to social justice issues? What is the effect of air pollution on our atmosphere and cities? Are solar panels or cloth nappies sustainability-conscious choices? Is plastic recycling worth it? Fundamental scientific concepts that we will explore include but are not limited to the greenhouse gas effect, how solar panels and other renewable energy devices work at the molecular level, the chemistry of waste and contaminants found in water, soil, and the atmosphere. 

This course examines how cosmetics and personal care products work from a scientific standpoint. Chemistry plays a key role in the manufacturing and continual improvement of personal care and other household products. It is involved in all stages, from the chemical extraction of natural products to the packaging of final consumer products. Throughout the course, students will learn the interaction of skin-care chemicals with lipids in the skin, the suspension of oil in emulsions, and how sunscreens filter or scatter UV light. Furthermore, the students will learn how to interpret ingredient lists and understand their roles. Marketing hype and trends, such as anti-aging, will be dissected to examine the underlying scientific principles and negative campaigns analyzed to evaluate their veracity.

This service-learning course combines a structured curriculum and extensive partnership with a local community-based organization to offer tangible community service. Here, student community service includes direct
engagement as well as a research-based action plan addressing a specific challenge or goal identified by a community-based organization. Students begin by exploring key community-based organizations: examining their
mission, vision and goals, and the place of the organization in the local community. Each student then works with an assigned partner organization and invests at least 90 hours partnering with the organization, working with them
and investigating ways to solve a challenge or issue the organization has identified. Student service-learning includes exploring the proximate and ultimate drivers of the organization's chosen challenge, and the organization's
infrastructure, resources, limitations and possibilities for reducing barriers to achieving the organization's self-identified goals. In concert, coursework probes the role of community-based organizations in both local and global
contexts, common challenges of community-based organizations in defining and implementing their goals, the role of service-learning in addressing these issues, and effective ways for students to help them achieve their mission,
vision, and goals. Coursework also guides the student's service-learning experience by helping students develop sound international service ethics, provide tools to investigate solutions to common development issues, aid in
data analysis and presentation, and provide best practices to illustrate findings and deliver approved joint recommendations orally and in writing. Throughout, students use service-learning as a means to expand their global awareness and understanding, explore shared aspirations for social justice, and develop skills to work with others to effect positive change.

This course examines skills in chemistry for application to life and medical sciences, engineering, and further study in chemistry. It covers nuclear and radiation chemistry, wave theory, atomic orbitals, spectroscopy, bonding, enthalpy and entropy, equilibrium, processes occurring in solutions, and the functional groups in carbon chemistry. Students develop experimental design, conduct and analysis skills in chemistry through experiments that ask and answer questions like how do dyes work, how do we desalinate water, how do we measure the acid content in foods, how do we get the blue in a blueprint, and how do we extract natural products from plants? 

CIEE supports qualified students who wish to pursue an academically rigorous independent research project while abroad. In order to enroll, students must submit a research proposal including a clearly defined research topic,
explanation of research plans, description of preparation in the planned area of study, list of resources, tentative outline of a final paper, and suggested schedule of progress. Students complete a total of 100-120 hours of
research and meet regularly with an advisor to complete an academically rigorous, ethically sound, and culturally appropriate research project and final research paper. Approval for participation in Directed Independent Research
must be obtained from CIEE and the student's home institution prior to arrival on the program.