Intensive Seminars in Modern Chemistry
Level: Open to students entering grades 11 or 12 or freshman year of college in fall 2010.
Session: I, June 28-July 16, 2010
Days & Time: Monday-Friday, 9:00 AM-12:30 PM and 2:00-4:30 PM
Instructor(s): Luis Avila, Ronald Breslow, Leonard Fine, George Flynn, Ann McDermott, Koji Nakanishi, Jack Norton, Ged Parkin, Nick Turro, Staff
Prerequisites: One year of high school chemistry and two years of algebra. A year of previous study of either physics or biology is recommended but not required.
Related Course: Students interested in this course might also be interested in Introduction to Materials Science and Nanotechnology, offered in Session II.
"I liked the wide variety of labs and equipment I got to do and work with."
–Floyd St. Bernard, 2009
"The speakers were great, the material was interesting, but mostly it was an opportunity to learn more of a subject I really enjoy. "
–from a 2009 student course evaluation
Course Description
Chemistry, the central science, is the science of molecules and bonds. Its signature is change in all its manifestations, from events that happen on a geological time scale to those that happen instantaneously, from the cosmological to the subatomic scale. Chemistry provides powerful scientific tools that extend our ability to sense the magnitudes of change by stretching the limits of what we know of our universe.
Intensive Seminars in Modern Chemistry is designed for highly motivated students who want to strengthen their understanding of chemistry and current research methods. The daily program follows a seminar format, beginning with a presentation by senior faculty members and researchers that is expanded upon through small group discussions and laboratory experiences.
Topics have been selected because they stand out as essential themes of current research, illustrate the methods of science, lend themselves to historical development, and highlight the role of chemistry as the central science. Through integrative experiments and collaborative projects, students discover the synthetic and analytic dimensions of chemistry in forensic, environmental, and materials problems. Experiments emphasize the development of problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Formal training includes instrumental methods in spectroscopy, chromatography, magnetic resonance, and computer simulations with state-of-the-art equipment in the department’s modern laboratories. Guest lecturers and field trips to area research facilities round out the program. Students are expected to complete a small research project, prepare a scientific paper, and participate regularly in class discussions.
Instructor(s)
Faculty
Luis Avila
Luis Avila is a vibrational spectroscopist and a lecturer in chemistry. He received the M.Sc. in chemical physics from Babes Bolyai University (Romania) and his Ph.D. in chemistry education from Columbia University. His current research interests include vibrational spectroscopy of materials and chemical education. He is a reviewer for the Journal of Chemical Education, and has published papers and monographs on vibrational spectroscopy and authored laboratory manuals on instrumental methods and procedures.
Ronald Breslow, Professor of Organic Chemistry
Leonard Fine
Leonard W. Fine, a polymer chemist with an engineering background and industrial experience in applied materials, is Professor of Chemistry and Director of Undergraduate Studies. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Maryland (College Park) and worked in industry as a research scientist for a decade before joining the Columbia faculty. His research interests include engineering plastics and materials that remain useful in extreme environments. He is the author of a widely used textbook of chemistry for engineers and scientists, and another on chemistry for nonchemists.
George Flynn, Professor of Physical Chemistry
Ann McDermott, Professor of Biophysical Chemistry
Koji Nakanishi, Professor of Natural Products Chemistry
Jack Norton, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry
Ged Parkin, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry
Nick Turro, Professor of Physical Organic Chemistry
Specific course information, such as hours and instructors, are subject to change at the discretion of the University.
