(Invited) Making Electrochemical Research Accessible to an Undergraduate Audience

Abstract

In principle, undergraduate students are introduced to electrochemical reactions within the first year of the chemistry program. In practice, the amount of content covered in the second semester of general chemistry is oftentimes limited to oxidation numbers and possibly balancing redox reactions. Coverage of electrochemical concepts in higher level classes seems to be largely dependent on how comfortable the instructor is with the material. Presented here is one approach towards establishing a rigorous research program designed to train and teach undergraduate students utilizing principles derived from Bloom's taxonomy of learning. Development of a successful electrochemical research program has involved several factors, including: the use of active learning strategies; creating learning outcomes based on a cognitive skills framework; incorporation of assessment tasks; developing a sense of community; integrating research into the curriculum; and an emphasis on scientific communication.