Honors Program
Office of Research and Experimential Learning
Student Research

Organic Chemistry

• Synthesis of Dioxo - Analogs of Elenic Acid
• Asymmetric Synthesis Using Chiral Mercury Salts
• Alternative Methods for the Instruction of Organic Chemistry Using Visualization and Animation Technologies

Inorganic Chemistry

• Summary of Summer 2007
• Summary of Summer 2006
• Summary of Summer 2005

Biochemistry

• Preparation of an Expression Vector for Ferrochelatase Carrying the gene for Kanamycin Resistance
   

Physical Chemistry

• A Clearer Picture of Air Pollution
• The Electronic Structure of Tantalum Oxide [1 MB PDF]
• Spectral Studies of the Diatomic Molecule Deuterium Iodide

General Chemistry

• An Analysis of How Science Research is Transformed by the Media

Research

Alternative Methods for the Instruction of Organic Chemistry Using Visualization and Animation Technologies

Amy Griffin and Rebecca Cowan Hoye
Department of Chemistry, Macalester College

A major aspect of theoretical organic chemistry involves the three-dimensional relationships of molecular structure. These spatial relationships are significant in the understanding of reactivity and molecular interactions. The current project focuses on the development of alternative methods of teaching organic chemistry through the use of visualization and animation technologies.

The goal is to facilitate the students' understanding of the spatial aspects of molecular interactions. Additionally this technology allows a graphical introduction to some basic ideas of physical chemistry by illustrating the practical importance of concepts such as electron density and electrostatic potential. This teaching module is being developed on a hypermedia platform to allow access via the internet or an intranet.

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