Undergraduate Research Center-Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education

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The award from the Chemistry Division supports the establishment of an Undergraduate Research Center (URC) as a collaborative effort involving Purdue University, the University of Illinois-Chicago, Ball State University, Northeastern Illinois University, Olive Harvey College, Harold Washington College, Moraine Valley College, College of DuPage and Chicago State University. The PI is Gabriela Weaver with coPIs, Fred Lytle, Robert Morris, Pratibha Varma-Nelson and Donald Wink. This collaboration, called the Center for Authentic Science Practice in Education (CASPiE), has as its main objective to create laboratory modules for first and second year chemistry courses that will provide students with learning experiences from 2-3 research based projects each semester. The projects will utilize advanced instrumentation and engage initially up to 500 students per semester in a process that parallels authentic research practice. The experiments will teach fundamental chemistry skills and concepts but will be interdisciplinary, involving authentic research projects developed by faculty in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Chemical Biology, Medicinal Chemistry, Food Science and Chemical Engineering. Teams of research faculty from Purdue and the other partner institutions working with faculty from community colleges and other primarily undergraduate institutions where these lab modules will be used will develop the research modules for these lab courses. The Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) model will be incorporated into the laboratory program utilizing undergraduates who have recently completed the course to facilitate learning skills such as literature searches, approaches to analyze data, and presentation of findings in poster and oral formats. The center will establish an online instrumentation resource that will provide students with remote access to automated, research level instrumentation. This network of instruments will be available to students in all the Center institutions. Besides its use in the laboratory modules, it will help PUI faculty participants develop research projects so their own research capacity is enhanced and the students at these institutions can participate in research. This award will advance discovery through the chemical research that is conducted by the students while promoting their learning of chemistry. The CASPiE collaborative is intended to develop an educational model that will be engaging and welcoming for women and ethnic minorities who are underrepresented in science. Qualitative and quantitative tools will be employed to provide summative and formative evaluation of project goals. William Boone from Indiana University will direct the assessment. The Office of Multidisciplinary Activities, Directorate of Mathematics and Physical Sciences cofunds this award.