• Skip to main content
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

ERN: Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM

  • About
    • About AAAS
    • About the NSF
    • About the Conference
    • Partners/Supporters
    • Project Team
  • Conference
  • Abstracts
    • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
    • Graduate Abstract Locator
    • Abstract Submission Process
    • Presentation Schedules
    • Abstract Submission Guidelines
    • Presentation Guidelines
  • Travel Awards
  • Resources
    • Award Winners
    • Code of Conduct-AAAS Meetings
    • Code of Conduct-ERN Conference
    • Conference Agenda
    • Conference Materials
    • Conference Program Books
    • ERN Photo Galleries
    • Events | Opportunities
    • Exhibitor Info
    • HBCU-UP/CREST PI/PD Meeting
    • In the News
    • NSF Harassment Policy
    • Plenary Session Videos
    • Professional Development
    • Science Careers Handbook
    • Additional Resources
    • Archives
  • Engage
    • Webinars
    • ERN 10-Year Anniversary Videos
    • Plenary Session Videos
  • Contact Us
  • Login

Introducing Polymer Chemistry into the Undergraduate Curriculum at Johnson C. Smith University

Faculty #85
Discipline: Chemistry & Chemical Sciences
Subcategory: STEM Science and Mathematics Education

Tracy Brown-Fox - Johnson C. Smith University


Polymer chemistry is a subject that draws upon all of the traditional subdivisions of chemistry: organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and biochemistry. Furthermore, this subject opens up the doors to exciting research and creative innovation. It is in this area of chemistry that most students are most likely to find employment; thus, making it appealing for most chemistry undergraduate programs to include it their curriculum. Therefore, in the fall of 2019, the ‘Introduction to Polymer Chemistry and Research Techniques’ were introduced as an upper level special topics elective within the Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (NSM). A total of seven students enlisted in the course, which was good for a newly developed course. Students enlisted in the course had already taken and successfully passed both semesters of organic chemistry. In this introductory polymer chemistry course, students learned about the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties associated with natural, biological, and synthetic polymers. To complement their course studies, students also learned how to conduct and designed experiments to characterize and analyze commercial polymers in a new established Thermal Analysis Instrumentation (TAI) suite – primarily supported by a prior National Science Foundation (NSF) HBCU-UP TIP grant. The TAI suite was equipped with a rheometer, a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA), instrumentation often used in infrastructure, aviation, space technologies, medical applications, and a host of consumer and commercial goods. The course also included research projects centered on students using JCSU’s MAKERSPACE to learn how to design and 3-D print objects or prototypes for sparking the interest of students exploring entrepreneurial opportunities. It was through this introductory polymer chemistry course, students learned how to think like scientists and improve in their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills, while obtaining marketable technical skills most STEM employers and graduate/professional schools are looking for in candidates.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): National Science Foundation: HBCU-UP

Faculty Advisor: None Listed,
NSF Affiliation: HBCU-UP

Sidebar

Abstract Locators

  • Undergraduate Abstract Locator
  • Graduate Abstract Locator

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under Grant No. DUE-1930047. Any opinions, findings, interpretations, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of its authors and do not represent the views of the AAAS Board of Directors, the Council of AAAS, AAAS’ membership or the National Science Foundation.

AAAS

1200 New York Ave, NW
Washington,DC 20005
202-326-6400
Contact Us
About Us

  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The World’s Largest General Scientific Society

Useful Links

  • Membership
  • Careers at AAAS
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Focus Areas

  • Science Education
  • Science Diplomacy
  • Public Engagement
  • Careers in STEM

Focus Areas

  • Shaping Science Policy
  • Advocacy for Evidence
  • R&D Budget Analysis
  • Human Rights, Ethics & Law

© 2023 American Association for the Advancement of Science