Chemistry (12) GC-MS instrumentation is being vertically integrated throughout the curriculum to expand the learning experiences of students as well as faculty members in a wide variety of course offerings and in undergraduate research projects. Through hands-on operation of the instrument, method development exercises and novel inquiry-based experimentation, the depth at which students understand core chemical principles as well as their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills is advanced. Novel experiments and experiments adapted and modified from the literature are being used, and they increase in complexity as students proceed from basic chemistry to the more advanced level courses.
A capstone research course is providing an interdisciplinary real-world exposure to a versatile analytical instrumental method and by reinforcing through experimentation the theory behind GC-MS is increasing the depth of students' understanding of chemistry and allowing them to see the interconnections amongst related fields of study. Interdisciplinary approaches to the sciences are thought to improve critical thinking skills by requiring students to draw on knowledge from multiple disciplines to solve a problem.
