Introduction of Modern MS into the Upper Division Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum

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Chemistry (12)Intellectual merit: The major objectives of this project are 1) to improve the teaching and laboratory experience in undergraduate analytical and physical chemistry by providing experiments in areas of greater immediacy to students and 2) to stimulate their interests in modern chemistry. Mass spectrometry (MS) has become one of the major analytical techniques in the post-genomic era. Mass spectrometric analysis of both proteins and small molecules promises molecular advances that will revolutionize molecular medicine, molecular toxicology, and efforts to safeguard the environment and facilitate responses to bioterrorism. In revamping our upper division undergraduate laboratory curriculum, we therefore are introducing MS to both B.A. and B.S. students. The experiments being developed are adapted from the educational and research literature. The analytical chemistry laboratory (CHEM 304) is adding of the use of liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) to identify an unknown protein. The physical chemistry laboratory (CHEM 305/322) is adding the use of MS/MS to analyze a collision induced dissociation. The instrument is also available for other laboratory courses and for undergraduate research projects. The new experiments are being implemented over a three-year period, with the assistance of and feedback from our B.S. majors in the first year and a team of faculty consultants outside chemistry.Broader impacts: Making MS accessible at the undergraduate level is an innovative way to prepare students for the interdisciplinary future of science. The impact on student learning of incorporating the MS experiments in the laboratory courses is being evaluated by directed questionnaires and exit interviews regarding the MS experiments themselves, and in general by comparing test performances and student interest among the control B.A. major group in the first year (before the MS experiments have been implemented for them) to these data in the subsequent two years. We believe that students will become more excited about careers in chemistry and science in general as a consequence of their experience, and we expect to convey the projected success of this endeavor to other undergraduate programs.