Chemical Education Today
Announcements
A Tribute to Mary Budd Rowe Mary Budd Rowe received her Ph.D. under Paul DeHart Hurd at Stanford after first training as an engineer. She brought to science education a keen intellect, an engineer's interest in problem solving, and a dogmatic faith in the innate worth and intelligence of every child. Mary is best known for her pioneering research on wait time, but I remember her stories about children. While directing the field trial of the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) in suburban and inner city schools in New York, she told about a "slow" child who entertained himself by observing ants outside his Harlem home. He told Mary all about their behavior, and he had it right. Mary's contrast of suburban children's reluctance to discuss excrement observed in the guppy tank and their obvious distress when some guppies disappeared with the inner city children's frank discussion of “shit” and their nonchalance about guppies’ disappearance told volumes about tailoring instruction to the situations in which students live. I'll miss Mary's unusually sound research in science education, but much more I'll miss her keen perception of the world of children and her ability to highlight real needs in education through a simple story. Hats off to a great science educator and a marvelous woman! We'll miss you, Mary. This tribute was written by J. Dudley Herron, 1576 Perkins Street, Morehead, KY 40351, 606/783-9947, email:
[email protected] Call for Nominations: 1997 James Flack Norris Award Nominations are being received for the 1997 James Flack Norris Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Teaching of Chemistry. The Norris Award, one of the oldest awards given by a section of the American Chemical Society, is presented annually by the Northeastern Section. The award consists of a certificate and an honorarium of $3000. Nominees must have served with special distinction at any level: secondary school, college, and/or graduate school. Since 1951, awardees have included eminent and lesswidely known but equally effective teachers at all levels. The awardee for 1996 was Mary Virginia Orna of the College of New Rochelle, New Rochelle, New York. Nominations for 1997 will be received until April 15, 1997. The nomination material must be limited to thirty pages and focus specifically on the nominee’s contribution to and effectiveness in teaching chemistry as distinguished from research. These qualities are demonstrated by a condensed curriculum vitae including listings of honors, awards, and publications relating to chemical education. The individual(s) coordinating the nomination presents this curriculum vita as a portion of a nominating letter, which in turn is supported by as many seconding letters as are necessary to convey the nominee’s qualification for the award. For details about nominations, contact Marilou
Cashman, 23 Cottage St., Natick, MA 01760; phone 800/ 872-2054 or 508/653-6329. Nominating materials for 1997 should be sent before April 15, 1997, to Dudley Herschbach, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, 12 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.
Interactive Periodic Table Exhibit The Edgerton Explorit Center in Aurora, NE, is working on an interactive periodic table exhibit. Stories of uses and discoverers of elements will be interspersed with experiment boxes that will allow visitors to investigate interesting and safe chemistry of selected elements. As Scientist-in-Residence I am soliciting suggestions for donors of chemical element samples, simple experiments, interested museum and chemist colleagues to contact, horror stories, useful references, and consumer sources. I hope to finish most of the work on the exhibit by mid-May 1997. If you have suggestions, send them to: Jane Snell Copes, Scientist-in-Residence, Edgerton Explorit Center, 208 16th Street, Aurora, NE 68818, phone: 402/694-4032; fax: 402/694-4035; email
[email protected] Undergraduate Research Poster Session The Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS) announces a special poster session on November 18, 1997, of research done by undergraduates in any area of analytical chemistry. The purpose of this session is to highlight undergraduate research in analytical chemistry. Please submit an abstract of the proposed presentation on a typed page (which includes the authors, a title, affiliations, and a 200–250word abstract) by March 15, 1996. Send it to Undergraduate Symposium, Program Committee, Eastern Analytical Symposium, P.O. Box 633, Montchanin, DE 19710-0633. Clearly indicate on your submission that it is intended for the Undergraduate Research Poster Session. Further information is available from the EAS Home Page http://www.eas.org/~easweb, the EAS Hotline 302/ 738-6218, the EAS FAXline 302/738-5275, or David J. Butcher, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723; phone: 704/2277260; fax: 704/227-7647; email (preferred): BUTCHER@ WPOFF.WCU.EDU; http://www. wcu.edu/chemphys/ chemistry/butcherd/butcherd.html.
American Microchemical Society Logo Contest The American Microchemical Society is having a contest to select a new logo for the society. Any graduate or undergraduate student may enter one original design. The deadline for entries is April 15, 1997. There are no restrictions on the design of the logo, with the exception that it must be original. A cash prize of $250 will be awarded to the designer of the selected logo. Interested students should contact David J. Butcher, Dept. of Chemistry and Physics, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723; phone:
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Chemical Education Today
Announcements 704/227-7260; fax: 704/227-7647; email (preferred):
[email protected] or http://www.wcu.edu/ chemphys/chemistry/butcherd/butcherd.html for more information. Three copies of the logo, including a disk containing a computer file of the logo, should be sent to Butcher.
American Microchemical Society Student Awards The American Microchemical Society announces two undergraduate student awards. The awards are designed for students who have done undergraduate research in any area of analytical chemistry. The awardees will receive $1000, travel expenses up to $250, and accommodation for two nights to receive the awards at the Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS) on November 18–20, 1997. Applications should include a letter of application, a 2-page summary of analytical research conducted by the student written in his or her own words, at least two letters of recommendation (one must be from a research director), and official transcripts from the undergraduate institution(s). The deadline for applications is March 15, 1997. Awardees are expected to present their work at EAS as a poster at the Undergraduate Research Poster Session. Three copies of the application should be sent to David J. Butcher, Department of Chemistry and Physics, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC 28723; phone: 704/227-7260; fax: 704/2277647; email (preferred):
[email protected]); http://www.wcu.edu/chemphys/chemistry/butcherd/ butcherd.html.
Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum Initiative: Emphasis on Adaption and Adoption The Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) at the National Science Foundation would like to call your attention to a new emphasis within the Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum initiative. The purpose of this initiative is to enhance the learning and appreciation of science through significant changes in chemistry instruction. Supported projects are designed to make fundamental changes in the role of chemistry within the institution, including better integration with curricula in related disciplines such as biology, physics, geology, materials science, engineering, computer science, and mathematics. The changes are expected to affect all levels of undergraduate instruction. This year, proposals are encouraged that adapt and adopt materials and methodology produced by the five major chemistry initiatives. Such proposals may be submitted by single institutions or by coalitions of institutions and should follow the usual guidelines for regular Course and Curriculum Development (CCD) proposals. In addition to the information included in the narrative section of regular CCD proposals, this section should also include a description of the materials and methods that will be adapted; how the new materials will be employed to affect the target student audience and the existing curriculum at the institution(s); how the proposed use of materials and methods developed elsewhere will enhance the national impact of the original project and promote the goals of the chemistry initiative; and plans for dissemination and evaluation
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of the modified materials and methods. It is anticipated that about $700,000 will be available to fund 6–10 proposals. Project summaries and other information for the five chemistry initiative projects can be found by visiting the DUE Web site at http://www.ehr.nsf.gov/EHR/DUE/ start.htm, or by calling DUE at 703/306-1666. The five core projects currently supported by the Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum initiative are: • ChemLinks, centered at Beloit College: http:// chemlinks.beloit.edu/ • ModularChem, centered at the University of California– Berkeley: http://www.cchem.berkeley.edu:8080/ • Molecular Science, centered at the University of California– Los Angeles: http://www.pslc.ucla.edu/ • New Traditions, centered at the University of Wisconsin– Madison: http://genchem.chem.wisc.edu/newtrad/ • Workshop Chemistry, centered at CUNY City College: http://www.sci.ccny.cuny.edu/~chemwksp/
More detailed information about the projects can be obtained by visiting their individual Web sites. The 1997 DUE Program Announcement (NSF 97-29) contains information about application procedures for these adapt/adopt proposals in the Systemic Changes in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum initiative. Proposals will be due June 9, 1997.
Starter Grant Awards The Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh will award three grants of $10,000 to assistant professors in the field of analytical chemistry. The purpose of these grants is to encourage high-quality, innovative research by new analytical chemistry professors and to promote the training and development of graduate students in this field. Assistant professors who have accepted a U.S. college or university appointment since December 31, 1993, are eligible. Application forms are available from Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, Robert Gagne, Chairman, Starter Grants Committee, 300 Penn Center Boulevard, Suite 332, Pittsburgh, PA 15235; phone: 1-800/825-3221 (x208); fax: 412/825-3224.
Mission Statement: New Journal Feature Column
Advanced Chemistry Classroom and Laboratory Joseph J. BelBruno Department of Chemistry, Dartmouth College, Burke Chemical Laboratory, Hanover, NH 03755 Phone: 603/646-2270; fax: 603/646-3946; email: jjb@ dartmouth.edu The refinement of the undergraduate curriculum has moved to the forefront in science education. This prominence is driven by the need to better educate, in fundamentals and the nature of science inquiry, not only potential science majors but also students who go into other fields. The need to improve science literacy has caused much of the reform to be focused on introductory chemistry, including the first courses in organic chemistry.
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 74 No. 3 March 1997
Chemical Education Today
Announcements The need to modify the curriculum for advanced courses is just as strong and is driven by the desire to convey to chemistry majors the nature of scientific thought and research. Reports concerning innovations in classroom instruction and in the laboratory for the advanced curriculum are appearing with greater frequency. This column is intended as a forum for faculty concerned with this aspect of education. This feature will present articles dealing with all aspects of the advanced chemistry curriculum. The range of courses is intended to span the entire spectrum of the third and fourth year curriculum, including, but not limited to, physical chemistry, advanced organic and inorganic chemistry, and most especially, cross-disciplinary science with a chemical emphasis. Reports of innovations in accelerated or honors introductory courses are also appropriate. Articles may feature either classroom innovation or modern laboratory exercises. For articles involving laboratory or computer exercises, authors are requested to follow the procedure outlined in the December 1996 issue (pages A310–A311) of the Journal. There are no restrictions on the length of a manuscript beyond the typical Journal requirements.
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