Luanne Johnson, Author at The Erlenmeyer Flask

Instructors Margie Haak and Michael Burand will give a lecture on Less Class Time, More Learning at the 2014 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, August 3-7 at Grand Valley State University in Michigan.

A hybrid-format general chemistry course for science-majors was implemented in the winter term of 2014. Two sections of approximately 160 students each were included. This course was a “trailer” course insomuch as students began the sequence in the second 10-week term of the academic year. Students in trailer courses have historically been more at risk for poor academic performance.

The format of the course included short, topical videos which were custom-made for this course and were made available to students online. Students were assigned to groups of approximately four for the duration of the term and biweekly class meetings consisted almost exclusively of students working on solving problems within their groups. Generally two faculty members and four teaching assistants were present to assist student groups. Typically some time was reserved at the end of the class periods for student groups (selected at random) to come before the class and present their solution to a problem.

Preliminary data show that students in this hybrid course performed significantly better on exams than historical averages for the traditional lecture format. This result is especially noteworthy given that the students in the hybrid course have only 60% of the class time compared to students in the traditional version of the course. A survey of students’ views regarding this hybrid course format was also conducted and will be discussed.

Jack Whitney (left) and Rodney — Jack Whitney (left) and Rod Davidson (right) in Chemstores

We have recently learned that Jack Whitney, longtime Chemstores Ordering Manager passed away Tuesday (June 24th). AAsum-Dufour Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. He will be greatly missed.

Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program

Full Proposal Deadline Date: July 21, 2014
BIO, CISE, EHR

Program Guidelines: NSF 14-532

CAREER: The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating …
More at http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=503214&WT.mc_id=USNSF_39&WT.mc_ev=click

Class of 2014 - Graduates who attended the Commencement Luncheon — Class of 2014 – Graduates who attended the Commencement Luncheon

Aaron C Anderson BS (Adv Chem), Chadd Armstrong BS (Adv Chem), James Donald Barnes BS (Mat), Kayla Marie Bell BS (For), Jordan Daniel Bergstrom BS (For), Monica Taylor Best BS (For), Sierra Lynne Breckenridge BS (For), Kristen Marie Brewster BS (Biochem), Derek Francisco Franco BS (Pre-Med), Nicholas Burke Goldring BS (Adv Chem), Jared Michael Harzan (BS (Adv Chem), Jacquellyn Helm BS (Adv Biochem), Brad Hilt BS (Pre-Med), Joshua Aaron Holmes BS (Adv Chem), Michael Paul Hughes BS (Adv Chem), Adam Paul Huntley BS (Adv Chem), Ashley Christine Kastner BS (Env), Nizan Kenane BS (Chem Eng), Kevin Andrew Kovalchik BS (Env), Jordane Elizabeth Lampi BS (Biochem), Min June Lee BS (Adv Chem), Stefan Enrique Lucchini BS (Mat), Tsz Pang Lui BS (Adv Chem), Phillip Gordon Marks BS (Chem Eng), Nick A Martin BS (Adv Biochem), Meghan Rose Megowan BS (For), Ashley Marie Moon BS (Adv Chem), Gary Lee Points BS (Biochem), Jordan M Rains BS (For), Stephanie Marie Sherman BS (Pre-Med), Halley Lynne Todd BS (Bus), Adeniyi Abiodun Adenuga (PhD), Maha Daifullah Alghamdi (MS), Lei Chen (MS), Nathan D Collett (PhD), Thomas Day (MS), Rosa Lea Grajczyk (PhD), Jae Seok Heo (PhD), Amanda L Hoyt (MS), Song Yi Kim (MS), Joseph Lee Lapka (PhD), Xiaochao Liu (MS), Melissa Luana Mc Intosh (MS), Sasidhar Naga Nirudodhi (PhD), Muhammed Quamar Salih (PhD), Whitney LeeAnn Schmidt (PhD), Subrata Shaw (PhD), Weekit Sirisaksoontorn (PhD), Sara D Townsend (MS), Shin-Cheng Tzeng (PhD), Christopher David Walsh (PhD), Chao Wang (PhD), Wei Wang (PhD), Liping Yang (PhD)

In order to help meet fiscal year-end deadlines, please do the following ASAP:

TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENTS

If you want reimbursed for travel that occurred on or before June 30^th, you must submit your reimbursement within in the next couple weeks so we can get it processed before fiscal year-end deadlines. (To ensure it can be processed in time, please make sure you provide the required itinerary, business purpose, documentation, receipts, index to charge, and approval).
- Remember, travel policy states that “Requests for reimbursement are to be submitted within 60 days after the trip has been completed, but no later than the close of the fiscal year in which the travel occurred.” Don’t miss the chance to get reimbursed by waiting too long to submit your reimbursement!
- If you have a trip that starts in June but ends in July you can submit that for reimbursement upon your return and it will be processed in July as a FY15 expense.

BUSINESS EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENTS

Submit business expense reimbursements ASAP for expenses incurred on or before June 30^th . (To ensure it can be processed in time, please make sure you provide the required business purpose, receipts, other documentation that may be needed, index to charge, and approval).
- Remember that if you have purchased an item and are requesting reimbursement, the item must be received by June 30^th to use FY 14 funds.

INVOICES

Submit any invoices to be paid ASAP with departmental approval and the index to charge
If you have contractors/consultants and haven’t already done so, please prompt them to submit invoices ASAP for all services performed/goods received by June 30^th.

CHECKS / RECEIVABLES

If your department has received any checks (even small amounts), get them to us ASAP. We have to have everything deposited first thing in the morning on June 30^th.
If your department is owed money by another unit within OSU or by external parties, let us know ASAP so we can get the billing processed and recorded by fiscal year-end deadlines.

Thanks for your assistance in helping us meet fiscal year-end deadlines. If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Thorsness or your accountant.

Undergraduate of the Quarter - Spring 2014 — Undergraduate of the Quarter – Spring 2014

Cassandra Lew has been selected as one of our Undergrads of the Quarter for Spring 2014. Cassandra grew up in Rock Springs, WY where she has lived her entire life prior to coming to OSU. She graduated from Rock Springs High School and it was a high school teacher (John Gamble) that peaked her interest in chemistry – commenting that she really enjoyed how applicable his classes were (She took 2 years of chemistry from Mr. Gamble). Cassandra accredits much of her success to the support and encouragement she has received from friends and family. She decided to come to OSU because of its reputation as an excellent science school and the generous scholarships she received. While Cassandra is only a freshman (one of the first freshmen to ever win Undergrad of the Quarter), she has already found her way into a research lab. She has been working with Professor Sandra Loesgen where she loves how hands on the science is and the real world applications of it all. When describing her research experience to date, Cassandra said “Sandra has been awesome!” All her professors at OSU have been helpful. She particularly enjoyed Professor Chris Beaudry’s O Chem course last term. Cassandra is excited for the future chemistry classes she will have the opportunity to take at OSU. After graduation, she would like to pursue a career in forensic chemistry and work in a lab. We are so excited to have talented, enthusiastic students like Cassandra in our program. Congrats to her for this award and we wish her continued success during her time at OSU!

Update: Cassandra was the recipient of the 2nd Keith McKennon Memorial Scholarship. The Chemistry Department is grateful for the support of alumni and friends who established this Scholarship. Cassandra, will do a wonderful job of honoring this long-time friend of the Department through her contributions to the state, nation, and world.

Prof. Paul Blakemore presenting plaque to Dr. Dale Boger

This year’s James D White Lecturer was Professor Dale Boger from the Scripps Research Institute. He is a world-renown synthetic organic and medicinal chemist who has successfully taken multiple compounds into advanced clinical trials. His talk was on the important anticancer compound vinblastine. Professor Boger’s lab has developed an amazing (and short) synthetic approach to make this compound. Equally impressive, they have discovered an analogue that is active in vinblastine resistant cell lines. The afternoon before the seminar, we had a wonderful gathering at Jim’s house where all the students got to interact with Dale in a casual setting over some great food. Dale is a wonderful, engaging individual and was a great choice for this event!

Dr. Dale Boger presenting his seminar at the White Honorary Symposium

More detailed information and an online application can be found at www.nationalacademies.org/rap.

The National Research Council of the National Academies sponsors a number of awards for graduate, postdoctoral and senior researchers at participating federal laboratories and affiliated institutions. These awards include generous stipends ranging from $45,000 – $80,000 per year for recent Ph.D. recipients, and higher for additional experience. Graduateentry level stipends begin at $30,000. These awards provide the opportunity for recipients to do independent research in some of the best-equipped and staffed laboratories in the U.S. Research opportunities are open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and for some of the laboratories, foreign nationals.

Detailed program information, including online applications, instructions on how to apply, and a list of participating laboratories, are available on the NRC Research Associateship Programs Web site (see link above).

Questions should be directed to the NRC at 202-334-2760 (phone) or rap@nas.edu.

There are four annual review cycles.

Review Cycle: August; Opens June 1; Closes August 1

Review Cycle: November; Opens September 1; Closes November 1

Review Cycle: February; Opens December 1; Closes February 1

Review Cycle: May; Opens March 1; Closes May 1

Applicants should contact prospective Adviser(s) at the lab(s) prior to the application deadline to discuss their research interests and funding opportunities.

Chris Heron has been selected as one of our Undergrads of the Quarter for Spring 2014. Chris was born in Corvallis, OR. Prior to coming to OSU, Chris was in the United States Army – serving 3 separate tours in Iraq and was stationed in both Georgia and Colorado – finishing at the rank of Staff Sergeant. After 7 years in the military, Chris decided to return back to school and enrolled at Columbia Gorge Community College in Hood River for one year. He then came to Oregon State University as a biology major. His time as a life sciences major was short lived – once he took Professor Margie Haak’s CH 220 course he was hooked on chemistry. He commented that Margie was an excellent presenter and she stimulated him to think about everything. Chris also had a wonderful lab course experience in CH 361/362 which he describes as “just fabulous.” He particularly commented that Professor Emile Firpo was “fun and had great energy” and that “you learned a ton” from him. The labs were key for Chris as it helped the lecture classes really make sense – they made him feel like “now I really get it!” The P Chem series was really hard, but both Professors Glenn Evans and Wei Kong were great. He loved Professor Kevin Gable’s dry sense of humor in O Chem. He has been doing research in Professor David Ji’s lab recently. Chris describes the research environment as “very inviting and simulating… Professor Ji has been very open with his lab.” His time at OSU has been supported through the US GI Bill from his military service. Outside of class, Chris enjoys racing bicycles with the OSU team on campus. This year, he has starting flying with the OSU Flying Club. He hopes to earn his pilot license prior to graduation and become a crop duster. The FAA now wants crop dusters to have a chemistry background and that job will allow him to get enough hours to achieve his long term goal of being a pilot for a major airline.

Chris comments that OSU has a fabulous chemistry (and science) program and all the faculty are great. We are honored to have amazing students like Chris as part of our program and we are grateful for his service to our country. We congratulate Chris on all his achievements to date and we hope he continues to have a wonderful experience at OSU!

Dr. Paul Blakemore and the Chemistry Department Safety Committee have released the Spring Term Safety Memorandum and announced his succession to Michael Burand as the new Committee Chair.

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Spring Term 2014: Safety Memorandum

• Safety Training Records: A Reminder (copies to Talley Richardson by June 13, 2014)
It is imperative that all lab workers receive adequate training to enable them to conduct their
research work safely. That such training has occurred must be documented. Unfortunately,
although a majority of our faculty do an excellent job of safety training, it is rarely adequately
documented. Training records are a required component of a lab specific chemical hygiene
plan (CHP) and can be captured in various ways (e.g., see link to form below). Dept. of
Chemistry PI’s/lab managers are asked to generate safety training records for ALL of their lab
coworkers (inc. graduate/ undergraduate students & post-doctorals) and to provide copies to
Talley Richardson in Gilbert 153 by June 13 (2014).
http://chemistry.oregonstate.edu/blakemore/Downloads/BRG_safetytrainingrecord.pdf

• Spill Kit Materials Now Stocked in Chem Stores
All laboratories must be equipped with appropriately stocked spill kits to deal with accidental
releases of potentially hazardous material. To make the construction and maintenance of spill
kits easier, Chemistry Stores now stocks all necessary items. The following safety instruction
details how to construct a spill kit.
http://oregonstate.edu/ehs/sites/default/files/pdf/si/spill_response-chemicals_si.019.pdf

• Safety Shower and Eye Wash Station Testing
Safety showers in a majority of OSU laboratories are now regularly tested by EH&S; however,
the testing of eye wash stations remains the responsibility of PI’s/laboratory managers. Eye
wash stations are easy to test without special gear and these units should be flushed on a
regular basis (every ca. 1-2 weeks) to avoid water stagnation. An inspection tag should be
attached to the station to document when tests are completed and by whom.
http://oregonstate.edu/ehs/sites/default/files/pdf/si/shower_and_eyewash_units_si076.pdf

• Michael Burand is the New Chair of the Departmental Safety Committee
Michael Burand is the new chair of the Departmental Safety Committee. The committee
meets on a regular basis to oversee the implementation of safety policy within the
Department of Chemistry. Do not hesitate to contact a relevant member of the committee to
obtain safety advice and/or to alert the committee to any safety related issues that may
arise. Normal business meetings take place once per term, please email Dr. Burand if you
would like an issue added to the agenda for discussion at the next meeting. The composition
of the safety committee and contact information for each of its members can be found on

SafetyWeb:
http://chemsafety.chem.oregonstate.edu

The Erlenmeyer Flask

Where Real Chemistry Happens…

Author Archives: Luanne Johnson

Less Class Time, More Learning

In Remembrance

NSF CAREER Grant Call for Proposals

Chemistry Class of 2014

Reminder for Reimbursements, Invoice Payments and Checks/Billing

Undergraduate of the Quarter – Spring 2014 – Cassandra Lew

James White Honorary Symposium Hugely Successful

REMINDER: Graduate, Postdoctoral & Senior Research Awards

Undergraduate of the Quarter – Spring 2014 – Chris Heron

Spring Term Departmental Safety Memorandum

Contact Info