The chemistry laboratory is the most important tool to train students for their future professional, industrial, or academic careers in or related to Chemistry. The goal of laboratory courses is to teach students fundamental chemical concepts while exposing them to instrumentation they may encounter after graduation. While the Chemistry Department had made great strides in obtaining state of the art instrumentation for student use, there are still voids to be filled with new instrumentation. One such void would be filled by the acquisition of a PTI Fluorescence Spectrophotometer. The current chemistry and biochemistry curriculum covers fluorescence techniques in a cursory one or two day lecture. Fluorescence methods have become important in all areas of chemical and, in particular, biochemical research. With the large percentage of Biochemistry majors in the department, the introduction to fluoescence techniques becomes more important to prepare our students for their future endeavors. The acquisition of the PTI fluoescence spectrophotometer will impact five upper division laboratory courses (Chemistry 121, 122, 125, 131, and 133) and possibly other special topics courses currently under discussion. The addition of fluorescence methods and techniques to the department also provide and additional research tool that will be utilized by several current faculty members. *
