The Chemistry Department is purchasing a modern Fourier Transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometer to catalyze a major revision of laboratory and lecture courses in all of the sciences. This instrument is used to introduce basic spectrometry to students, particularly those in teacher education programs, who presently are not exposed to this type of analysis. At the upper division level, the instrument allows for fast, simple, and highly accurate analysis of a variety of processes and compounds. Courses affected include general, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry; as well as courses in instrumental and chemical analysis, and introductory physics. As part of the Department's ongoing involvement in local pre-college education, the instrument provides for workshops and advanced laboratory experiences for both teachers and their students, and the development of new approaches to teaching science in middle and high schools.
