In this article we report on the use of a graduate "Special Topics" course to provide vital research and practical laboratory experience, within the context of developing a chemical process to manufacture biodiesel from algal sources. This course contained several key components that we believe are necessary skills in graduate research: 1) a…

This article showcases a virtual interactive participatory design activity for building a digital entomology lab. Conceptualized as a virtual complement to a general entomology course at Kansas State University, the lab would allow learners to explore morphological aspects of insects--their various forms and functions--in order to understand…

The aim of this study is to examine the effectiveness of collaborative learning with hints and peer tutoring with hints, and individual learning with hints in chemistry laboratory education in a secondary school. A total of 96 eleventh graders participated in this study. The study has a randomized pre-test and post-test design with a delayed…

A simple experiment is presented to visualize inferior and superior mirages in the laboratory. A quantitative analysis is done using ray tracing with both photographic and computational techniques. The mirage's image, as seen by the eye or the camera lens, can be used to analyse the deflection and inversion of light rays. (Contains 6 footnotes, 1…

If you have seen tubes like the ones we describe here in the back of a cupboard but have been reluctant to use them, now is the time to get them out. The aim of this article is to record the history of teaching about electron beams, particularly with Teltron equipment, and in doing so encourage those schools that are equipped with these tubes to…

To investigate the frontiers of particle physics, physicists and engineers are building detectors and making measurements in unusual settings from outer space to far-flung regions of the Earth. In the past several decades, laboratories have been set up deep underground in working mines or mountain tunnels to look at subatomic particles from our…

Optical elements manipulate light waves. They may be used to focus the light or to change the phase, the polarization, the direction, or the intensity of light. Many of these functions are often demonstrated with microwaves, since the devices normally available in teaching laboratories produce wavelengths in the centimeter range and are therefore…

Online education has exploded in popularity. While there is ample research on predictors of traditional college student success, little research has been done on effective methods of predicting student success in online education. In this study, a number of demographic variables including GPA, ACT, gender, age and others were examined to determine…

Trends in the agriculture industry require students to have the ability to solve problems associated with scientific content. Agricultural laboratories are considered a main component of secondary agricultural education, and are well suited to provide students with opportunities to develop problem-solving skills through experiential learning. This…

Most chemical engineering undergraduate laboratories have fluid mechanics experiments in which pressure drops through pipes are measured over a range of Reynolds numbers. The standard fluid is liquid water, which is essentially incompressible. Since density is constant, pressure drop does not depend on the pressure in the pipe. In addition, flow…

Catalytic conversion is an important tool in environmental-remediation strategies and source removal of pollutants. Because a catalyst is regenerated, the chemistry can be extremely effective for conversion of undesirable pollutant species to less harmful products in situations where the pollutants have accumulated or are being continuously…

A key goal of molecular/cell biology/biotechnology is to identify essential genes in virtually every physiological process to uncover basic mechanisms of cell function and to establish potential targets of drug therapy combating human disease. This article describes a semester-long, project-oriented molecular/cellular/biotechnology laboratory…

Three in one? Yes, three standard undergraduate thermodynamics experiments in one, not an oval can of lubricating oil. Previously it has been shown that the PASCO scientific apparatus for measuring coefficients of thermal expansion of metals can also be used to illustrate Newton's law of cooling in the same experiment. Now it will be shown that by…

A station-based laboratory practical exam for first-year high school chemistry students is described. Students move individually through six stations meant to authentically assess both basic lab skills and problem-solving skills utilized throughout the year. The exam can be completed in an approximately 85 min lab period and can be easily adapted…

A short, semi-microscale synthesis of two 1,4-dihydropyridine drug analogues via a Hantzsch reaction is described, which is appropriate for a second-year undergraduate organic laboratory. Products are specifically chosen to highlight the biological relevance of this compound type while introducing the notion of a privileged structure.…