In response to perceived societal need and with the encouragement of local criminalist, the Whitworth College Chemistry Department has inaugurated an upper-level course in forensic chemistry. The purchase of an Atomic Absorption (AA) Spectrometer with a graphite furnace has enhanced the laboratory component of this course. This instrument is used in the analysis of paint scrapings and small samples of glass. The AA is also used in instrumental analysis, physical chemistry and research. This instrument provides our students with state of the art instrumentation and "real world" examples. The institution is matching the NSF grant with an equal amount of funds.
