Promoting student curiosity and productivity in undergraduate research requires an integrated approach to the entire curriculum of a four-year program. Typically, laboratory experiences are designed for various courses taught in a chemistry program. This traditional approach presents many challenges for educators who are interested in meaningful, productive, and original research activities with undergraduates. Students treat each laboratory course as a separate experience without recognizing the integrated and interdisciplinary nature of chemistry. In our recently ACS-approved chemistry program at California University of Pennsylvania, we have created a four-semester integrated laboratory program that provides a comprehensive approach to prepare students for a research-focused career. Students gradually develop their laboratory skills in this program, and become more interested in independent research with better writing skills. After completion of the laboratory program, students enter a three-semester research course in which they carry out original research activities under the supervision of a faculty member. Students are required to deliver oral and poster presentations at the departmental, local, and national levels. This presentation will provide the details of our research-focused curriculum as an effective way of promoting undergraduate research in chemistry education.

Designing a chemistry laboratory program for a research-focused ACS-approved curriculum

255th National Meeting (2018)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.