Introduction of GC/MS throughout the Undergraduate Curriculum

化学（12）化学系正在购置一台气相色谱仪/质谱仪，专门为各级学生提供实践学习经验。通识教育入门的学生正在观察演示，收集和分析数据。该仪器被纳入化学专业的螺旋课程中：随着课程从低级有机化学到高级研究项目的进展，化学专业的学生在越来越复杂的实验中使用该仪器。在系统的实验序列中，学生使用仪器识别反应产物，量化污染物水平，阐明反应机制，测定产物纯度并确定重金属的同位素丰度。实验改编自教育文献，目的是设计一个精心的体验过程，让学生接触到各种各样的问题，这些问题可以借助GC/MS获得的结果进行调查。该机构还在支持环境化学和法医学本科课程的发展，并正在加强对蒙大拿州当地高中和部落学院的推广活动，同样是通过改编教育文献和环境保护署协议中的实验。本项目涉及对非科学专业、化学专业和其他科学专业的课程进行改进，并包括针对招生和面向高中学生和教师的内容。我们招聘新专业的一个重要部分与我们与地区高中教师的联系相吻合，这些教师使用GC/MS指导学生的研究项目。许多高中项目涉及当地问题，并有助于描绘大学对社区的服务角色。在REU项目中使用该仪器可以提高美国原住民和代表性不足的学生的研究经验。该仪器对化学专业环境和法医学本科专业的发展非常重要。法医科学项目正在解决国家和地区对训练有素的法医科学家的需求。有关介绍性项目、推广项目、螺旋课程和新重点的实验和经验将得到广泛传播，使项目成果能够在其他机构中得到适应和实施。

Chemistry (12) The Department of Chemistry is acquiring a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer that is dedicated to hands-on learning experiences for students at all levels. Intellectual MeritIntroductory general education students are observing demonstrations and collecting and analyzing data. The instrument is incorporated into the chemistry major in a spiral curriculum: chemistry majors use the instrument in ever more sophisticated experiments as courses progress from lower division organic chemistry to senior research projects. In a systematic sequence of experiments, students use the instrument to identify reaction products, quantify contaminant levels, elucidate reaction mechanisms, assay product purity and determine isotopic abundances of heavy metals. Experiments are being adapted from the educational literature in order to design a careful progression of experiences that expose students to the wide range of types of problems that can be investigated with the help of results obtained from a GC/MS. The instrument also is supporting development of undergraduate programs in environmental chemistry and forensic science and is enhancing outreach activities to local high schools and to tribal colleges in Montana, again by adapting experiments from the educational literature and from EPA protocols. Broader Impacts This project involves curricular improvements for non-science majors, chemistry majors, and other science majors, and includes components directed at student recruitment and outreach to high school students and teachers. A significant part of our recruitment of new majors dovetails with our outreach to regional high school teachers who supervise student research projects utilizing GC/MS. Many of the high school projects deal with local issues and help portray the service role of the university to the community. Use of the instrument in an REU program is enhancing research experiences for Native Americans and underrepresented students. The instrument is important to the development of undergraduate concentrations in environmental and forensic science within the chemistry major. The forensic science program is addressing national and regional needs for trained forensic scientists. Experiments and experiences with the introductory programs, outreach programs, spiral curriculum and new concentrations will be widely disseminated, enabling adaptation and implementation of project results in other institutions.