A Diode Array (DA) UV-Visible spectrophotometer has greatly enhanced the undergraduate laboratory experience. The instrument is used in three primary laboratory environments: general chemistry laboratory, instrumental analysis, and independent student research. In the general laboratory, students use the DA UV-Vis. spectrophotometer in the analysis of the manganese content of steel. This allows students the opportunity to use modern, computer based instrumentation in the first chemistry course. This helps to demonstrate to the students the role, pervasiveness and power of instrumentation in chemistry. In the Instrumental Analysis course, a laboratory block of "tandem techniques" is integrated to demonstrate the additional information one can obtain from a tandem technique as compared to the component techniques used independently. In order to develop a cohesive laboratory, it is necessary to include a combined spectroscopy-electrochemistry technique. An ideal example is ultraviolet-visible spectroelectrochemistry which requires a DA UV-Vis. instrument. The block of laboratories involving the student and comparison of tandem techniques with each other and with their individual component techniques provides broad exposure to, and appreciation for the advantages of tandem techniques. Finally, undergraduate research is one of the best educational experiences for students, and the time they have for it is limited. Therefore, this project is to providing the most effective instrumentation possible to ensure a productive, positive research experiences; the UV-Visible diode array spectrophotometer is used extensively in the summer research program as well as by student researchers during the academic year. The institution has contributed to this project in an amount equal to the NSF funds.
