Course Offerings
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Winter 2024▲
See complete information about these courses in the course offerings database. For more information about a specific course, including course type, schedule and location, click on its title.
General Chemistry
CHEM 110 - Abry, Andrea C. / Friend, John K. (Kyle)
This is a foundational course for those pursuing upper-level chemistry and biochemistry. Fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and principles that appear throughout the chemistry and biochemistry curriculum are introduced. Topics include basic chemistry calculations, quantum mechanics in chemistry, molecular structure, chemical thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. In addition, a range of spectroscopic methods including UV-Vis, Atomic Absorption, and XRF are employed in the laboratory. While no previous knowledge of chemistry is required, some background is advantageous. Laboratory course with fee.
General Chemistry
CHEM 110 - Abry, Andrea C. / Uffelman, Erich S. / Alden, Nicholas A. (Nick)
This is a foundational course for those pursuing upper-level chemistry and biochemistry. Fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and principles that appear throughout the chemistry and biochemistry curriculum are introduced. Topics include basic chemistry calculations, quantum mechanics in chemistry, molecular structure, chemical thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. In addition, a range of spectroscopic methods including UV-Vis, Atomic Absorption, and XRF are employed in the laboratory. While no previous knowledge of chemistry is required, some background is advantageous. Laboratory course with fee.
General Chemistry
CHEM 110 - Abry, Andrea C. / Cunningham, Connell / LaRiviere, Frederick J. (Fred)
This is a foundational course for those pursuing upper-level chemistry and biochemistry. Fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and principles that appear throughout the chemistry and biochemistry curriculum are introduced. Topics include basic chemistry calculations, quantum mechanics in chemistry, molecular structure, chemical thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. In addition, a range of spectroscopic methods including UV-Vis, Atomic Absorption, and XRF are employed in the laboratory. While no previous knowledge of chemistry is required, some background is advantageous. Laboratory course with fee.
Science in Art
CHEM 156 - Uffelman, Erich S.
This course develops students' fundamental understanding of certain physical, chemical, biological, and geological concepts and utilizes that vocabulary and knowledge to discuss 17th-century Dutch art. The emphasis is on key aspects of optics, light, and chemical bonding needed to understand how a painting works and how art conservators analyze paintings in terms of conservation and authenticity, using techniques such as X-ray radiography, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, infrared microscopy, infrared reflectography, gas chromatography, liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, UV-vis spectroscopy, UV photography, and laser ablation methods. When possible, the course develops modern notions of science with those of the 17th century in order to see how 17th-century science influenced 17th-century art.
Analytical Chemistry
CHEM 211 - Abry, Andrea C. / Cunningham, Connell / Tuchler, Matthew F. (Matt)
Emphasis on inorganic systems exhibiting aqueous solution equilibria. Topics covered include acid/base reactions, redox reactions, complexation, precipitation reactions, and solution equilibrium. Laboratory work emphasizes basic wet-chemical as well as more sophisticated instrumental techniques of chemical quantitative analysis with appropriate statistical methods of data handling. Laboratory course with fee.
Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 242 - Gray, Erin E.
A continuation of CHEM 241. Laboratory course with fee.
Organic Chemistry II
CHEM 242 - Alty, Lisa T.
A continuation of CHEM 241. Laboratory course with fee.
Organic Chemistry II Lab
CHEM 242L - Smith, Donna M. / Gray, Erin E.
A continuation of CHEM 241, including an introduction to organic spectroscopic methods. Laboratory course with fee.
Organic Chemistry II Lab
CHEM 242L - Smith, Donna M. / Alty, Lisa T.
A continuation of CHEM 241, including an introduction to organic spectroscopic methods. Laboratory course with fee.
Organic Chemistry II Lab
CHEM 242L - Smith, Donna M. / Alden, Nicholas A. (Nick)
A continuation of CHEM 241, including an introduction to organic spectroscopic methods. Laboratory course with fee.
Inorganic and Bioinorganic Chemistry
CHEM 250 - Uffelman, Erich S.
A survey of main group and transition metal chemistry, as well as fundamentals of point group symmetry and of the major metalloproteins, metalloenzymes, and medicinal inorganic compounds. Main group chemistry is discussed from the perspective of the classic compounds from the alkali metals, the alkaline earths, the boron family, the carbon family, the pnicogens, the chalcogens, the halogens, and the noble gases. Transition metal chemistry will be examined from the standpoint of characteristic coordination geometries, kinetics and mechanism, electron transfer (inner and outer sphere), and catalysis.
Biochemistry II
CHEM 342 - Friend, John K. (Kyle)
A continuation of CHEM 341 with an emphasis on the structure, function, and metabolism of nucleic acids. Topics covered in detail include gene expression and regulation, DNA replication and repair, RNA transcription and processing, and protein synthesis and degradation.
Biochemistry II Laboratory
CHEM 344 - Kim, Sarah
A laboratory course designed to demonstrate the fundamental techniques used to study nucleic acids. Methods to isolate and characterize DNA and RNA include PCR, gel electrophoresis, hybridization techniques, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Laboratory course with fee.
Advanced Topics in Biology and Biochemistry: Chemistry of Materials
CHEM 399C - Alden, Nicholas A. (Nick)
Materials chemistry focuses on bringing the promise of improved and/or innovative new materials into our daily experience, to augment and advance our societal or personal goals. In this course, we will explore how nano-scale, micro-scale, and macro-scale properties of various materials impact their potential applications in the real world; like how at the macro-scale the structure of metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites are related to their atomic and molecular structure in chemistry. All these properties of materials will be related across these various length scales, and tied into a variety of complex, real-world applications for the advancement of our world’s societies.
Directed Individual Research
CHEM 421 - Friend, John K. (Kyle)
Literature search, conferences, tri-weekly reports and laboratory work on a project supervised by the instructor and designed by the student and instructor. A final written report on the project is required. May be carried out during the summer.
Directed Individual Research
CHEM 421 - Gray, Erin E.
Literature search, conferences, tri-weekly reports and laboratory work on a project supervised by the instructor and designed by the student and instructor. A final written report on the project is required. May be carried out during the summer.
Directed Individual Research
CHEM 421 - Kim, Sarah
Literature search, conferences, tri-weekly reports and laboratory work on a project supervised by the instructor and designed by the student and instructor. A final written report on the project is required. May be carried out during the summer.
Directed Individual Research
CHEM 421 - Uffelman, Erich S.
Literature search, conferences, tri-weekly reports and laboratory work on a project supervised by the instructor and designed by the student and instructor. A final written report on the project is required. May be carried out during the summer.
Laboratory Mentoring in Organic Chemistry
CHEM 441 - Smith, Donna M.
Upper-division students are specially selected to collaborate with the CHEM 241/CHEM 242 faculty or staff instructor to co-facilitate a section of CHEM 241L or CHEM 242L. Students will build skills through a) obtaining work experience in an academic laboratory setting, b) gaining insight and professional development skills needed by participating in the design and implementation of lab experiments, and c) facilitating learning by assisting other students in the organic chemistry laboratory. One credit per term. Can be taken up to and including four terms--for a total of four credits.
Senior Thesis
CHEM 473 - Gray, Erin E.
Literature search, conferences, reports and laboratory. Maximum of six credits. Laboratory course.
Fall 2023▲
See complete information about these courses in the course offerings database. For more information about a specific course, including course type, schedule and location, click on its title.
Modern Descriptive Chemistry
CHEM 100 - Pleva, Michael A. (Mike)
An elementary study of the structure and reactions of molecules. Laboratory work illustrates some fundamental procedures in chemistry.
General Chemistry
CHEM 110 - Abry, Andrea C. / Cunningham, Connell / Desjardins, Steven G. (Steve)
This is a foundational course for those pursuing upper-level chemistry and biochemistry. Fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and principles that appear throughout the chemistry and biochemistry curriculum are introduced. Topics include basic chemistry calculations, quantum mechanics in chemistry, molecular structure, chemical thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. In addition, a range of spectroscopic methods including UV-Vis, Atomic Absorption, and XRF are employed in the laboratory.
General Chemistry
CHEM 110 - Abry, Andrea C. / Cunningham, Connell / Uffelman, Erich S.
This is a foundational course for those pursuing upper-level chemistry and biochemistry. Fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and principles that appear throughout the chemistry and biochemistry curriculum are introduced. Topics include basic chemistry calculations, quantum mechanics in chemistry, molecular structure, chemical thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. In addition, a range of spectroscopic methods including UV-Vis, Atomic Absorption, and XRF are employed in the laboratory.
General Chemistry
CHEM 110 - Abry, Andrea C. / Uffelman, Erich S.
This is a foundational course for those pursuing upper-level chemistry and biochemistry. Fundamental vocabulary, concepts, and principles that appear throughout the chemistry and biochemistry curriculum are introduced. Topics include basic chemistry calculations, quantum mechanics in chemistry, molecular structure, chemical thermodynamics, and chemical kinetics. In addition, a range of spectroscopic methods including UV-Vis, Atomic Absorption, and XRF are employed in the laboratory.
Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 241 - Smith, Donna M. / Gray, Erin E. / Alden, Nicholas A. (Nick)
A survey of the compounds of carbon including their structure, chemical and physical properties, reactivity, reaction mechanisms, identification, and synthesis. Laboratory focuses on the development of skills in preparing, purifying, and identifying organic compounds using spectroscopic methods.
Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 241 - Smith, Donna M. / Gray, Erin E. / Alty, Lisa T.
A survey of the compounds of carbon including their structure, chemical and physical properties, reactivity, reaction mechanisms, identification, and synthesis. Laboratory focuses on the development of skills in preparing, purifying, and identifying organic compounds using spectroscopic methods.
Organic Chemistry I
CHEM 241 - Smith, Donna M. / Alty, Lisa T. / Alden, Nicholas A. (Nick)
A survey of the compounds of carbon including their structure, chemical and physical properties, reactivity, reaction mechanisms, identification, and synthesis. Laboratory focuses on the development of skills in preparing, purifying, and identifying organic compounds using spectroscopic methods.
Spectroscopic Methods
CHEM 243 - Cunningham, Connell / Smith, Donna M.
This course covers theory and interpretation of more complex proton and carbon nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, including two-dimensional techniques, and qualitative mass spectrometry.
Physical Chemistry of Biological Systems
CHEM 260 - Desjardins, Steven G. (Steve)
An introduction to the application of physical chemistry to biological systems. Topics Include enzyme kinetics, the thermodynamics of metabolic cycles, the conformational energetics of biomolecules, especially protein folding, and an introduction to quantum mechanics.
Biochemistry I
CHEM 341 - Kim, Sarah
A study of the structure, function, biosynthesis and breakdown of biomolecules, including amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Enzymes, biological membranes and membrane transport, signal transduction, and regulation of metabolism are studied in greater detail.
Biochemistry I
CHEM 341 - Friend, John K. (Kyle)
A study of the structure, function, biosynthesis and breakdown of biomolecules, including amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids. Enzymes, biological membranes and membrane transport, signal transduction, and regulation of metabolism are studied in greater detail.
Biochemistry I Laboratory
CHEM 343 - Friend, John K. (Kyle)
Experiments demonstrate the techniques used to study proteins and lipids. Isolation and characterization of proteins and lipids using gel electrophoresis, UV-Vis spectroscopy, chromatographic techniques including GC-MS, and the proper reporting and analysis of experimental data are included.
Biochemistry I Laboratory
CHEM 343 - Kim, Sarah
Experiments demonstrate the techniques used to study proteins and lipids. Isolation and characterization of proteins and lipids using gel electrophoresis, UV-Vis spectroscopy, chromatographic techniques including GC-MS, and the proper reporting and analysis of experimental data are included.
Directed Individual Study: Introduction to Undergraduate Research in Organic Chemistry
CHEM 401A - Gray, Erin E.
Directed Individual Research
CHEM 421 - Friend, John K. (Kyle)
Literature search, conferences, tri-weekly reports and laboratory work on a project supervised by the instructor and designed by the student and instructor. A final written report on the project is required.
Directed Individual Research
CHEM 421 - Gray, Erin E.
Literature search, conferences, tri-weekly reports and laboratory work on a project supervised by the instructor and designed by the student and instructor. A final written report on the project is required.
Directed Individual Research
CHEM 421 - Uffelman, Erich S.
Literature search, conferences, tri-weekly reports and laboratory work on a project supervised by the instructor and designed by the student and instructor. A final written report on the project is required.
Laboratory Mentoring in Organic Chemistry
CHEM 441 - Smith, Donna M.
Upper-division students are specially selected to collaborate with the CHEM 241/CHEM 242 faculty or staff instructor to co-facilitate a section of CHEM 241L or CHEM 242L. Students will build skills through a) obtaining work experience in an academic laboratory setting, b) gaining insight and professional development skills needed by participating in the design and implementation of lab experiments, and c) facilitating learning by assisting other students in the organic chemistry laboratory.
Spring 2023▲
See complete information about these courses in the course offerings database. For more information about a specific course, including course type, schedule and location, click on its title.
Disorder and Chaos
CHEM 106 - Abry, Andrea C. / Desjardins, Steven G. (Steve)
An interdisciplinary introduction to the concepts underlying nonlinear dynamics and fractal geometry emphasizing the theories of chaos and complexity. Students study mathematical and computer modeling of physical and social systems and interpret the results of these models using graphical methods and written descriptions. Methods and concepts from calculus are demonstrated but no mathematics beyond high-school algebra is assumed. The laboratory component consists of a series of projects from diverse areas of the natural sciences, including pendulum motion, oscillating chemical reactions, and natural growth patterns.
The Chemistry of Cooking
CHEM 151 - Tuchler, Matthew F. (Matt)
The art of cooking is carefully considered from the perspective of science, starting with the structure of molecules and how the they interact with each other and you (aka, flavor). Ultimately you will understand the magic that happens during baking, the important role of fermentation throughout history, and the secret to making confections that look and taste great. Chemical reactivity will be prominent in class discussions, especially as it relates to cooking, food preservation, and food spoilage. You will learn about the fundamental "Law of Nature" that explains why something taken from a hot oven, cools, and why you can't unmix a drop of dye that has turned your cake icing green. The course will include demonstrations and solutions to classic cooking problems, such as "How do you know if the bread is ready to take out of the oven?"
Advanced Topics in Biology and Biochemistry: Imaging in Art and Medicine
CHEM 399B - Uffelman, Erich S.
This course will count as an advanced course towards any of the Chemistry or Biochemistry majors, but the course is not limited to Chemistry or Biochemistry majors.This course will consider general principles of imaging science, including rudimentary ideas in signal sensing and signal processing. The course will then address some of the key modern techniques of imaging paintings, including, but not necessarily limited to, macro-XRF scanning, macro-XRD scanning, and multispectral and hyperspectral reflectance imaging spectroscopy. The course will conclude by surveying some of the most important medical imaging methods, including, but not necessarily limited to, X-ray tomography, MRI, and ultrasonography.