From right: Charles Atwood, coordinator of freshman chemistry; Bobby Stanton, laboratory coordinator; and freshman biology major Katrin Usifo watch freshman biology major Matthew Sokolik zero out MeasureNet?s spectrophotometer before the device is used to measure the elemental spectrum of a substance. (Photo by Peter Frey)
The perfect solution
Computer-based teaching revolutionizes freshman chemistry labs
By Phil Williams
phil@franklin.uga.edu
Each week, nearly 2,000 UGA students come into freshman chemistry labs, where they work with retorts and beakers as they learned in high school. But a new twist has been added to labs here--computer-based probes that allow students to perform bench science as researchers do.
The change has been dramatic and has improved instructional capabilities remarkably, according to Charles Atwood, coordinator of freshman chemistry.
"This brings us finally into the 21st century," he says. "It allows students to perform experiments quickly and accurately, and so far the results have been amazing."
A problem with freshman chemistry labs has always been the intense level of activity required of teaching assistants and professors. TAs particularly had to roam the lab constantly, answering questions, solving problems and giving advice. Now, a single TA at an integrated computer station can monitor the work of 25 students in experiments that test everything from temperature and spectral properties of liquids to the analysis of gases with a spectrometer.
The system, built by a Cincinnati company called MeasureNet, involves a series of small two-person computer workstations where students work on experiments, using specific probes for assigned experiments. The result has been an increase in learning speed and knowledge of equipment that is similar to that used in labs where many science graduates may one day work.
"The system is extremely user-friendly, and most of it is menu-driven," says Bobby Stanton, general chemistry lab coordinator. "Each system controller is like the brain of the system, and they are really easy to upgrade."
Students have reported that learning to use the probes is quite easy, and in short order they are doing everything from determining what ions are in liquid to the elemental content of some substance.
Installation of the new lab system began a little over a year ago, and it has only recently been completed as new controllers were added when funds became available.
The upgrades in freshman chemistry labs aren't the only steps forward in the chemistry building. Richard Morrison has overseen an upgrading of the organic chemistry laboratory that now allows students to use cutting-edge diagnostic tools such as infrared spectrometry, gas chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging.
"Two years ago, this was a storage room," says Morrison, as he looks over the high-tech lab. He laughs when he says "this new equipment probably improves us by a century," but he's not really kidding.
The new equipment allows smaller groups to perform far more intensive analyses of substances than ever before in UGA history. The spectrometers and magnetic resonance equipment have been up and running for a while, but the gas chromatographs have just come online.
Few teaching labs in the country are so well-equipped, says Morrison. Instead of rudimentary tests, undergraduates can now unravel the actual structure of compounds--something limited in years past to graduate students and faculty. Morrison hopes soon to connect the new equipment in the organic chemistry lab to the MeasureNet system, too, making it easier for students to perform experiments and then save the data on computers.
One of the advantages of the system in the freshman chemistry labs is that, quite soon, all the information from student experiments will be saved to a network server in the chemistry building, from which it can be remotely accessed.
"So students could do an experiment here and then go back to their dorm rooms or houses and continue to work on it," says Atwood. Labs will not end when a student leaves the bench but go on as he or she has time later in the day or week.
While other U.S. universities are now using computer-storage capabilities for students' bench-science labs, most still require one computer for each workstation, which takes up a tremendous amount of work space. With a single computer hooked to much smaller workstations, which are mounted at eye level off the benches, there?s plenty of space for experiments at UGA. In fact, in terms of numbers of students, UGA is the largest user of this system in the country.
All students need to do with the MeasureNet system is plug in the preprogrammed probe for whatever experiment is being run on a specific day.
"We were lagging behind, but now we?re on the cutting edge," says Stanton. "The students and TAs have been impressed with what we can accomplish."
MeasureNet is pleased to announce that its website and newsletters will feature caricatures of notable chemists drawn by Professor William Jensen of the University of Cincinnati. The series will include a brief biographical summary of each individual authored by Jensen. The drawings will appear regularly on MeasureNet's homepage and in its blog beginning in August, 2011.
"I'm thrilled to have these Jensen works associated with MeasureNet. "They'll add a very nice visual element to our media products. At the same time, they have a high degree of relevance to chemical education. Bill's drawings fit with our efforts to make the study of chemistry more interesting and germane to students of all academic backgrounds."
William B. Jensen, Ph.D. holds the Oesper Chair in the History of Chemistry and Chemical Education at the University of Cincinnati. He is also curator of the Oesper Collection of Rare Books and Portraits in the History of Chemistry and of the department of chemistry's apparatus museum. In the area of the history of chemistry, Dr. Jensen's interests center on the development of late 19th and early 20th century physical chemistry and inorganic chemistry, with special emphasis on the origins of chemical thermodynamics and solid-state inorganic chemistry. He also has made a detailed study of the origins and development of the 19th century scientific community in Cincinnati. Photos of his early 20th-century chemistry laboratory assembled at the University of Cincinnati have been used in MeasureNet brochures and exhibit displays.
August 1, 2008
Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina has selected MeasureNet in an upgrade of data acquisition capabilities for its Chemistry Department laboratories. The University is the first institution of higher learning in North Carolina to adopt MeasureNet.
Appalachian State's Chemistry Department boasts over 125 majors that include concentrations in forensic and pre-professional areas. Areas targeted for MeasureNet use include the Biochemistry and Quantitative Analysis Laboratories where a special focus will include influent and effluent analyses from the local waste water treatment plant.
Opened as Watauga Academy in 1899, the institution's founders were driven my the desire to educate teachers for the mountains of northwest North Carolina. The Academy became Appalachian State Teachers College in 1929 with an enrollment of over 1,300 students with many enrolling in primary school teaching programs. The University took its current name in 1967.
Successive administrations at Appalachian State since the 1970s have focused on academic excellence through the recruitment of first-rate faculty, new international studies programs, and capping resident enrollment at a maximum of 10,000 students. The results of these progressive changes have garnered regular recognition of Appalachian State in national publications such as U.S. News & World Report as one of the outstanding comprehensive universities in the Southeast and nation. The university was selected as Time Magazine's "College of The Year" in 2001.
"We are delighted to include Appalachian State University in our community of users." said MeasureNet President Robert Voorhees. "The institution's academic reputation is impressive and we're excited about the planned application of MeasureNet in a variety of engaging and topical areas of chemistry."
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. It is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph and HPLC connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world. MeasureNet is celebrating its tenth anniversary of category-leading data acquisition in 2008.
For more information contact:
Robert Voorhees
President and Founder
tel. toll-free: 866-396-6765
voorhees@measurenet-tech.com
June 30th, 2008
MeasureNet was recently chosen to equip two chemistry laboratories of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. The University is the sixth institution of higher learning in the state to employ MeasureNet in their science teaching laboratories.
Founded in 1809 and named after the Miami Indian Nation historically inhabiting the region, the public university is home to over 14,200 undergraduates. College rankings published in 2008 by U.S. News & World Report listed Miami University 27th among the top public universities in the nation, recognizing Miami for providing "outstanding examples of academic programs that are believed to lead to student success." Kaplan Publishing's 2005 edition of The Unofficial, Biased Guide to the 331 Most Interesting Colleges recognizes Miami as one of the country's top schools. The rankings are based on a survey of guidance counselors at public and private high schools. Miami was named one of 30 schools in the United States that offers "an education comparable to that at Ivy League universities at a fraction of the price" in the book The Public Ivies: America's Flagship Universities.
According to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry's Professor Neil Danielson, some 150 students per year will utilize the Department's two 12-station MeasureNet Networks. "First year Bachelor of Science chemistry majors laboratory (Sections CHM 153, CHM 161) will initially use the MeasureNet system for titrations and molecular spectroscopy. Some of the same experiments in the third year analytical chemistry laboratory (CHM 364) for BA chemistry majors will also be adapted for MeasureNet"
Danielson said that MeasureNet will play an active role in reforming experiments and supporting undergraduate projects. "The MeasureNet system will update titration experiments that still demonstrate important chemistry such as acid-base, precipitation, and metal complexation. In addition, it will provide individual experimentation in molecular spectroscopy. We expect some of the final 'research' projects in CHM 364 will also benefit from MeasureNet equipment use. Currently CHM 455, the advanced instrumental analysis laboratory for BS chemistry majors, has a research component in which I expect MeasureNet could be involved."
"It is a pleasure and an honor to welcome Miami of Ohio into our user community." said MeasureNet Director of Marketing Michael Kurutz. "Miami has received many accolades for academic excellence in recent years and MeasureNet will play a key role in supporting the continued quality of the Chemistry laboratory program for many years to come."
Miami joins Ohio MeasureNet users Xavier University, Lourdes College, Bowling Green State University-Firelands, Mt. Vernon Nazarene College, and the University of Cincinnati.
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. It is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph and HPLC connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world. MeasureNet Ltd. is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008.
For more information contact:
Robert Voorhees
President and Founder
tel. toll-free: 866-396-6765
voorhees@measurenet-tech.com
> Miami University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
June 10, 2008
If you've set your sights on a career in pharmaceuticals, health care, or other science-related industries, the School Of The Sciences in Philadelphia is a premier stop on the undergraduate college tour. Founded as the Philadelphia School of Pharmacy in 1821, it was the first school dedicated to pharmaceutical science in the United States.
Lilly, Rorer, McNeil, Wyeth, Warner, Burroughs... you may recognize the names of six of the world's largest and most successful pharmaceutical companies. You also should know that these individuals were all USP alumni. Other USP graduates helped pioneer the use of the X-ray, find the gene for colon cancer, invent medical ultrasound gel, and invent a popular physical therapy device for helping patients regain the use of their knees after surgery.
The 35-acre campus in Philadelphia's University City is home to over 2,800 students and 80 state-of-the-art laboratories. Some 90 percent of USP's students have employment or have been accepted for advanced study on their day of graduation. The University ranks third amongst comparable institutions for graduates receiving advanced degrees in the medical sciences, while it ranks in the top 11 percent of 1,150 comparable institutions whose graduates have gone on to complete doctoral degrees in the sciences.
MeasureNet is now standard equipment at USP. Two twelve-station networks are being deployed to the institution's General Chemistry Program which serves more than 600 students per semester. The networks are being installed, along with new and adapted curriculum, into two newly-renovated laboratories.
According to Chemistry Professor Madhumati Mahalingam, the switch to MeasureNet from a previous interface system was driven by a number of concerns. "When we implemented CBL interfaces, we had 12 lab sections with 30 students each. Soon the enrollment increased to 18 labs with 30 students. As a result of the increased usage, we ran into problems pretty soon with link errors between the interface and the calculator because of link cables being worn out or the link connectors on the calculators being worn out. That became quite frustrating. ...We did try to provide our own calculators but couldn't sustain the numbers we were losing each semester."
In addition to hand-held devices, Mahalingam added that PC-based interfaces were seen as a less than optimal solution for the department's General Chemistry laboratories. "All of these problems prompted me to look for a system that was robust and able to take the wear and tear of the large numbers of students, as well as provide the flexibility of using modern technology and the internet to simplify and reduce the time for data acquisition. We looked to upgrade to computers with the Vernier™ probes but due to the power requirement of installing that many computers in the lab, as well as the added hazard of a corrosive environment for the computers, it did not seem like an ideal choice. In fact, when the two options were presented to the IT department here, they recommended going with MeasureNet. MeasureNet stations are built for the Chemistry lab environment unlike computers. In addition, the networking capability and the ability to share class data over the network is ideal in promoting collaborative learning as well as provides ability for statistical analysis of data."
"We are delighted to have such a prestigious institution as the University of Sciences as a MeasureNet user." said MeasureNet President Robert Voorhees. "The track record and achievements of their graduates in the sciences are enviable. MeasureNet will now be a part of the world-class preparation given to all USP students."
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. It is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph and HPLC connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world. MeasureNet Ltd. is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008.
For more information contact:
Robert Voorhees
tel. toll-free: 866-396-6765
voorhees@measurenet-tech.com
> USP Chemistry and Biochemistry Homepage
June 5, 2008
Redwood City California’s Cañada College has chosen a 12-station MeasureNet Network as the data acquisition interface for its newly-renovated chemistry laboratory. The college will employ an array of probes, including electrochemistry probeware and MeasureNet's multi-function dual-beam colorimeter. Chemistry professors Jeanette Medina and Anuradha Pattanayak said the system’s higher resolution “will enable the use of smaller quantities of chemicals, thereby making experiments safer and cutting down on disposal. In addition, it will give us the ability to design innovative experiments to expand our chemistry curriculum to incorporate UV-VIS spectroscopy, chromatography and HPLC techniques.”
Serving some 6,000 full and part-time students, Cañada College ranks as one of the state's leading community colleges in transfer and completion rates. Its Redwood City location is home to Pixar Animation Studios and Oracle Corporation.
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. It is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph and HPLC connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world. MeasureNet Ltd. is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2008.
For more information contact:
Len Weibel
Director of Business Development
tel. toll-free: 866-396-6765
lenweibel@measurenet-tech.com
May 5, 2008
The third of the Pontifical Catholic University institutions in Puerto Rico has adopted MeasureNet for its chemistry program. Pontifical Catholic University in Arecibo joins their sister institutions in Ponce and Mayagüez with a six-station installation that includes capabilities for shared UV-vis spectroscopy, colorimetry, fluorescence, turbidity, and GC connectivity. The laboratory is part of the College of Sciences which was founded in 1986. The College of Sciences offers bachelor degrees in Chemistry, Biology, Medical Technology and Environmental Science, while offering a masters degree program in Optometry.The campus is located near Puerto Rico's northwest Atlantic coast about 80 miles west of San Juan.
Founded in 1616, the town of Arecibo is one of the oldest in Puerto Rico and was a functioning settlement long before belonging to the island's indigenous Taino people. The city is well known for the nearby Arecibo Radio Observatory, the largest single-unit radio observatory every constructed with a 305m diameter. The town also hosts facilities of a number of Fortune 500 corporations such as Merck, General Electric, and Pfizer. The town's population is approximately 104,600.
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. It is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph and HPLC connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world.
For more information contact:
Len Weibel
Director of Business Development
tel. toll-free: 866-396-6765
lenweibel@measurenet-tech.com
> MeasureNet at Pontifical Catholic University-Ponce, Puerto Rico (en Español)
> General Chemistry Experiment: Introduction to MeasureNet (en Español)
> Puerto Rico's 'City of Lions' Becomes MeasureNet City
> Pontifical Catholic University-Mayagüez Selects MeasureNet
> MeasureNet Pontifical Catholic University-Mayagüez Laboratory Photos
April 8, 2008
Research by two of MeasureNet's most active academic users highlighted MeasureNet's 10th anniversary celebration at the 2008 American Chemical Society Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. Assessing Student Learning Via Practical Exams was presented by Bobby Stanton of the University of Georgia's Department of Chemistry and his colleague Lin Zhu, currently a faculty member of the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Stanton and Zhu, along with UGA's Professor Charles Atwood, are authors of Experiments in General Chemistry Featuring MeasureNet published by Cengage Learning. A revised edition is expected from the authors in 2009. Read Stanton and Zhu's poster abstract here.
Western Kentucky University's The Effect of PC-based Laboratories on Student Learning garnered much attention and was selected for a two-evening showing in the Chemical Education poster section. The ongoing research evaluating MeasureNet's impact on student learning in spectroscopy is being undertaken by Professors Les Pesterfield, Stuart Burris, Darwin Dahl, and Hasan Palandoken of WKU's Department of Chemistry, as well as Jacqueline Pope-Tarrence of the Department of Psychology. Read more about WKU's research here.
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. The company is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph and HPLC connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world.
For more information contact:
Len Weibel
Director of Business Development
tel. toll-free: 866-396-6765
lenweibel@measurenet-tech.com
> University of Georgia Chemistry Department
> Western Kentucky University Chemistry Department
> Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Chemistry and Chemical Biology Department
Lin Zhu (left) of IUPUI and UGA's Bobby Stanton (right) at the 2008 ACS-New Orleans Conference.
WKU's Les Pesterfield (left) comparing notes with UGA's Bobby Stanton.
MeasureNet's Robert Voorhees (middle) and Elwood Brooks (right) are captivated by University of Arkansas-Little Rock's Robert Belford.
Left to right:
1) MeasureNet student workstation safely mounted using inexpensive custom-made bracket fitted to bench monument.
2) Alternate view of workstation row.
3) workstations with LCD projector (linked to instructor PC outside of photo).
4) Chemistry Professor Héctor Cancel, Director, Title V (left), Michael Kurutz, MeasureNet Director of Marketing (center).
> Pontifical Catholic University-Mayagüez Selects MeasureNet
> MeasureNet at Pontifical Catholic University-Ponce, Puerto Rico (en Español)
> General Chemistry Experiment: Introduction to MeasureNet (en Español)
> Puerto Rico's 'City of Lions' Becomes MeasureNet City
> University in Famous Radio Telescope Home Chooses MeasureNet
November 5, 2007
The density of MeasureNet in Puerto Rico continues to increase! The newest member of the MeasureNet user community is Pontifical Catholic University of Mayagüez. Its sister institution, the Pontifical Catholic University in Ponce was the first university on the island to adopt MeasureNet for laboratory electronic data acquisition in 2003. Other recent MeasureNet installations on the island include University of Puerto Rico–Ponce and Interamerican University–Ponce.
The city of Mayagüez lies on the western coast of Puerto Rico and is known as the "Ciudad de las Aguas Puras" (City of Pure Waters). It boasts 92,000 inhabitants and is a former center of tuna canning and textiles. It is also known for its impressive colonial style town center and cathedral.
The Mayagüez Pontifical Catholic University installation will include digital balances, GC functionality, shared 1-nm resolution UV-VIS spectroscopy, electrochemistry probeware, and a set of multi-function colorimeters in addition to temperature, pressure, pH. and voltage, probeware. While small relative to others on the island, the university's service-structured chemistry program is high in enthusiasm and determination to provide a modern curricular and instrumentation experience that prepares students for future research and private sector science-related employment.
"MeasureNet is pleased to have Pontifical Catholic University of Mayagüez join the user community," says MeasureNet President Robert Voorhees. "It has dedicated itself to providing the most advanced teaching lab experience available through the installation of MeasureNet and associated curricular changes. We would like to thank Professor Hector Cancel and his colleagues for their efforts."
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. It is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph and HPLC connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world.
For more information contact:
Len Weibel
Director of Business Development
tel. toll-free: 866-396-6765
lenweibel@measurenet-tech.com
> MeasureNet Pontifical Catholic University-Mayagüez Laboratory Photos
> MeasureNet at Pontifical Catholic University-Ponce, Puerto Rico (en Español)
> General Chemistry Experiment: Introduction to MeasureNet (en Español)
> Puerto Rico's 'City of Lions' Becomes MeasureNet City
> University in Famous Radio Telescope Home Chooses MeasureNet