The Chemistry has identified principles which guide the choice of laboratory experimentation. These guidelines include the need to incorporate work using smaller and more complex samples, the need to incorporate real world chemistry, the opportunity to use state-of-the-art instrumentation, the necessity to increase the laboratory efficiency so that more experimental work can be done, and the need to increase understanding of chemical health and safety. The gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer equipment is helping to include real world samples in the laboratory program, to allow laboratory work to concentrate on small and complex samples, and to improve the efficiency of the laboratory program. The three courses - Organic Chemistry, Advanced Instrumentation, and Chemical Health and Safety - were selected to show how the GC/MS can strengthen the chemistry curriculum. The institution has contributed an amount equal to the NSF funds to the project.
