Organic chemistry teaching styles have previously led students to answer a question that has already been solved. The novel approach used in the Undergraduate Research in Organic Chemistry Course (UROCC) at Northern Kentucky University is stemmed from the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) model. It utilizes original research to make potentially bioactive molecules in the undergraduate lab setting. This approach has allowed students to generate original data, collaborate with peers, and present their discoveries. By investigating the mechanism in which organic chemistry is used for practical applications, such as cancer research, students gain a sense of importance. This becomes key for engaging students in the advanced material and raising confidence in a science career. Students enrolled in the UROCC labs not only gained hands-on knowledge of modern equipment and digital tools used in organic chemistry research, but also gained “soft” scientific skills such as scientific collaboration and communication. The original data and molecules generated in this course provide useful information for the organic and medicinal chemistry research field.

Undergraduate research in organic chemistry course (UROCC) practices for a novel approach to enrich learning experiences

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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