The Life Sciences Learning Center (LSLC) is a hands-on science outreach center located at the University of Rochester's School of Medicine and Dentistry (UR-SMD) in Rochester, New York. The LSLC provides hands-on, case-based learning to boost science literacy and increase enthusiasm toward science learning. The LSLC offers on-site and in-school…

Biocompatible and biodegradable block copolymers composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and aliphatic polyester are a class of promising biomaterials. Herein, a teaching experiment was designed to furnish undergraduates with a reliable method to synthesize an amphiphilic poly([epsilon]-caprolactone)-PEG-poly([epsilon]-caprolactone) (PCL-PEG-PCL)…

A low-cost multispectral imager was built using a multiwavelength LED PCB (light-emitting diode printed circuit board), 3D printed housing, and a monochrome camera, and it was controlled via National Instruments LabVIEW software coupled with some simple electronics. Multivariate data analysis was performed using freely available software packages.…

A series of hands-on experiments including the synthesis and application of flexible, conductive silver-nanopaste were designed to gain knowledge of conductive soft nanomaterial and the synthesis and the application of silver nanopaste (Ag nanopaste). The aim of this laboratory experiment is to provide undergraduate/graduate students an…

Polymer materials are indispensable in our daily lives. This makes polymer technology of critical importance in higher education. In particular, hands-on experiment-based practicals/laboratories with a focus on polymer science are of tremendous value in the undergraduate curriculum. Along these lines, hydrogels are highly cross-linked polymer…

In this article, a consecutive series of four hands-on experiments are recommended to teach the colors of paint/pigment and their mixtures. These activities, which are effective in learning about how to make a simple observation and help to build argument-based knowledge about colors, offer an integrated and innovative way of teaching colors of…

Microplastics (MPs) are small plastic particles (<5 mm in size) that are ubiquitous in the environment and have even been detected in bottled water. In this laboratory experiment, suited for instrumental or environmental chemistry classes, students detect and quantify MPs in bottled water by filtering and staining them with Nile red dye prior…

In the past decade, C-H functionalization has been a very active topic of research in both academia and industry. When a H atom is replaced by an aryl (or heteroaryl) group, the transformation is termed "direct arylation". This approach to the formation of key (hetero)aryl-(hetero)aryl bonds is complementary to traditional methods, such…

Undergraduate students in an environmental chemistry laboratory course were taught QuEChERS (quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe), a sample preparation procedure that is commonly used in pesticide laboratories involving an acetonitrile salt-out extraction of fresh produce samples followed by solid-phase dispersive cleanup using a…

A simple, cheap, and easy to make ionisation chamber to investigate the decay of Radon-220. Requires no expensive meters, experiment is carried out using thoriated gas mantles to produce the Radon-220, and the chambers are used with low cost digital multimeters. An opportunity for 16-18 students to carry out a hands-on experiment with an ionising…

This work covers a three-week program designed to provide undergraduate students with a background in structural chemistry and materials science. Sessions are based on the programming of regular polyhedra and their geometrical relationships by using an object-oriented language (i.e., POV-Ray). Three lectures introduce the basics of programming…

To empower high school and undergraduate students to become citizen scientists, we describe the design, construction, and operation of a multisensor device based on Arduino microcontroller technology to record atmospheric measurements relevant to secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). The handheld "AIRduino" multisensor device was built and…

NMR spectroscopy is traditionally taught to students during Organic Chemistry as a tool used for the determination of structures after synthesis. However, modern NMR spectroscopy has many important applications beyond structure elucidation, including molecular profiling of complex mixtures as biofluids and food samples. In this experiment,…

Informal learning environments can be a fun and effective means of introducing visitors to a variety of topics in evolution. Our study examined 120 sixth-grade students' conceptualisation of evolutionary ideas following three evolution-themed "Science Days" at 'Nature Campus'--an informal learning environment in Central Israel comprised…

Contemporary science education frameworks identify computational thinking as an essential science and engineering practice that supports scientific sense-making and engineering design. Despite national emphasis on teaching science, engineering, and computational thinking (NGSS Lead States, 2013), little research has investigated the ways that…