Intellectual Merit. This project integrates the use of NMR instrumentation and modeling software throughout the chemistry curriculum in order to enhance the undergraduate experience. Students are being intellectually challenged by being exposed to more sophisticated tools that illustrate the material encountered in the classroom. They also are using these applications in the undergraduate research program. The use of NMR instrumentation has become essential in biology, biochemistry, and the health professions, in addition to all areas of chemistry. Use of NMR has been deemed essential in the undergraduate curriculum by the American Chemical Society Committee on Professional Training and is cited as necessary by the Committee on Undergraduate Biology Education to Prepare Research Scientists for the 21st Century, Board on Life Sciences, Division on Earth and Life Studies, National Research Council of the National Academies. In this project, use of the Anasazi EFT 60 MHz instrument is allowing meaningful applications of NMR to be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum. Spartan modeling software is being used to integrate modeling throughout the curriculum by taking advantage of the numerous successful applications developed elsewhere to create a set of activities appropriate for our institution. Broader Impact. The results of this project will be disseminated by the involved faculty and students through presentations at conferences, publications in educational journals and posting on our web site. Our students have a history of being very active in presenting the results of their undergraduate research projects at regional and national conferences. In addition, representatives from industry and from academic institutions who are experts in NMR and scientific education are serving on an Advisory Committee to provide expertise for the project. Finally, an East Texas Anasazi Users Group has been formed that is serving to build an important community among these NMR users, including both four-year and two-year institutions. A diverse group of students is being impacted by this project. The student body at the University of St. Thomas reflects the diversity of the City of Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast in race/ethnicity, gender, age, religious affiliation, and socioeconomic status. Over the last five years the Hispanic student enrollment has increased by 30%, and the ethnic breakdown of the student body now includes 14% Asian Pacific Islander, 6% Black non-Hispanic, and 33% Hispanic, making the University a Hispanic Serving Institution. In addition, the number of students taking chemistry courses at the institution has been increasing over the last several years with a current level of approximately 100 declared majors in chemistry and biology.
