Laboratory Focus on Computer-Assisted Experimentation for Women Science Majors

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This project extended computer interfacing, i.e., computer control over external devices, to undergraduate women science majors. A logical building block approach is used in the fundamental course, Computer-Assisted Experimentation, wherein student gain experience with microcontroller-based systems, AST computer with digital and analog I/O boards, and communications systems. These will include an introduction to robotics and remote monitoring. The expertise gained in the fundamental course is applied in the automation of data acquisition and data treatment in many experiments in the upper-level laboratory program. Women students, in particular, need to actually carry out automation in order to be confident, creative and productive in today's research labs. The acquisition of multiple sets of equipment and software permitted a number of students to gain crucial hands-on experience in both the fundament course and the applications in the overall lab program. The institution contributed to this project in an amount equal to the NSF funds.