With the support of NSF funding, the Chemistry Department at the College of St. Benedict/St. John's University has developed a new course sequence focused on the reactivity of organic, inorganic and biomolecules.   This sequence (Reactivity 1-3) fulfills 3 of the 5 required foundation courses in the ACS CPT guidelines.   In order to build on common themes in chemistry and reduce artificial boundaries between sub-disciplines, the course sequence is built on concepts of Lewis acid-base reactions, orbital theory, ligand field theory, thermodynamics, kinetics, catalysis, common organic and inorganic mechanism types and model systems.   In addition, biochemical pathways such as glycolysis, TCA cycle, fatty acid oxidation, photosynthesis and electron transport are covered.   Ultimately by the end of the third semester, students are working to solve increasingly applied and integrated topics from modern research publications.  We will discuss the order and development of complexity of topics over the three semesters and the placement of the sequence within the context of the entire curriculum. Preliminary assessment data will be provided.

Implementation of an interdisciplinary sequence of foundation courses for organic, inorganic, and biochemistry

248th National Meeting (2014)

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