Chemistry Graduate Students Research Articles

Amorphous Nickel Sulfide Nanostructured Film Photocathode for Solar Hydrogen Production

Electrochemical synthesis of amorphous nanostructured films is now well recognized method and here we present experimental protocol for the synthesis of Nickel Sulphide (NiS) amorphous nanostructured film for solar hydrogen production from water feedstock which was used in teaching laboratory in last year of undergraduate and post graduate chemistry students. This proves fascinating laboratory experience that is adopted through modern renewable energy technologies to produce hydrogen from water feedstock. This research area is now well established and expected to be utilized for graduate and undergraduate teaching for advance learning of clean energy processes.

In the US, concerns about immigration have amplified

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused research disruptions and career delays for many chemistry graduate students and postdoctoral scholars worldwide. But in the US, scientists were already worried abou...

A Curiously Linear Path to Academic Drug Discovery.

Medicinal chemistry graduate students interested in drug discovery usually consider only two career paths: become a tenure track principal investigator of a lab with a focused research interest, or become an industry scientist at a pharmaceutical company. This Viewpoint article will highlight a unique career path that is neither of these and is a new model, involving collaboration, creative problem solving, and a willingness to learn new things, that perhaps can prove successful for others.

Stress and Mental Health in Chemistry Graduate Education

A key challenge for any graduate program is to address stress and mental health without lowering the bar for the degree. In our department, we have focused on eliminating unnecessary sources of stress. We, that means not just the departmental leadership, but graduate students, the director of graduate studies, mental health advocates, and professionals from the university health services. Only professionals can provide therapy, but the whole community can contribute to help prevent problems before they arise and to recognize and direct students in distress to appropriate resources. In particular, the student group Community of Chemistry Graduate Students (CCGS) is taking a key role in organizing regular events on physical and mental health and stress management. For example, their videos on the topics of mental health in graduate school, academic success, and the transition into a job after graduate school have attracted much attention. A very important tool to help us in our efforts is a biannual survey specifically designed together with the university health services to assess the sources of stress. This talk will address some of the new insights we have gained from analyzing the results of these surveys. (1) Stress and mental health in graduate school: How student empowerment creates lasting change, Mousavi, M. P. S.; Sohrabpour, Z.; Anderson, E. L.; Stemig-Vindedahl, A.; Golden, D.; Christenson, G.; Lust, K.; Bühlmann, P. J. Chem. Ed. 2018 , 95, 1939–1946. (2) http://ccgs.chem.umn.edu/surviving-and-thriving-higher-education

STEM doctoral student agency regarding funding

ABSTRACT This study explores STEM doctoral student agency with respect to funding as it relates to degree completion and career preparation. We interviewed 39 graduate students in chemistry, physics, and engineering at two large, public, research-intensive institutions in the USA. Although STEM doctoral students have a high expectation of full funding, instability of funding and unavailability of desired funding types limit the agency of some students. When several types of funding are available, advisors can encourage student agency in pursuing opportunities to gain skills or networking connections through teaching assistantships, research assistantships, or internships. However, students were not able to articulate specific ways that assistantships prepared them for nonacademic positions, which is an important direction for future work.

Analyzing Characteristics of Experts in the Context of Stoichiometric Problem-Solving

To gauge the variability in expert problem-solving strategies for stoichiometry problems, a set of experts in different career tracks were studied with the cohort including 17 graduate students in chemistry, three college chemistry instructors, and seven college graduates working in the industry. The goal of the study was to determine whether variability would be observed based upon experience and career trajectories. The data were collected using interviews and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively using the COSINE (Coding System for Investigating Sub-problems and Network) method. Although the method was developed for the analysis of undergraduate problem-solving, it appeared to be effective in examining experts’ problem-solving in chemistry as well. The study revealed similar abilities for succeeding at solving a series of problems, but the strategies were variable for the three cohorts of experts. Specifically, the amount of information used to solve the problems differed across the three cohorts with graduate students focusing more upon each of the specific subproblems within each problem compared to industry chemists utilizing the big-picture approach in lieu of breaking down each problem into respective subproblems. Familiarity with the question types and ability to chunk information were common characteristics observed consistently for the expert participants, which is consistent with existing research.

Chemist diversity in the US

Citizenship status of chemistry graduate students62.4% Citizens or permanent residents37.6% Temporary visa holders4.8% Percentage of chemistry doctoral-degree recipients who have a disability40.9% Percentage of graduate students in chemistry who are women9.2% Percentage of employed chemists who have a disability25.5% Percentage of postdoctoral fellows in chemistry who are womenSource: NSF, Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering, 2019.Note: Data from 2016 or 2017, except where indicated.

Wildfires stifle air-quality improvements

Thanks to regulations targeting power plants and motor vehicles, human-caused emissions of particulate matter have been declining in many areas of the US. These regulations usually target aerosols less than 2.5 µm in diameter, called PM2.5, which can travel through the lungs and into the bloodstream, increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. But in the western US, summer levels of PM2.5 have been holding steady—and some years, they’ve increased. Researchers expected the national regulations to lead to improvements in all parts of the country, says Katelyn O’Dell, a graduate student in atmospheric chemistry at Colorado State University. Now she and her colleagues, including group leader Jeffrey Pierce, have tied the persistence of PM2.5 to western wildfires (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2019, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05430). The scientists focused on the Pacific Northwest, where the PM2.5 trend is particularly stark. The team used a combination of atmospheric modeling, air-quality data, and s...

Substance-Based Bibliometrics: Identifying Research Gaps by Counting and Analyzing Substances.

Identifying research gaps and generating research questions are often a first step in developing ideas for writing a research paper or grant proposal. The concept of substance-based bibliometrics uses the counts of substances in the scientific literature to better understand, assess, and clarify the state and impact of information in the chemical sciences. Connecting substances indexed to specific bioactivity or target indicators can lead to assessing the biochemical, biological, and medicinal relevance of substances as well as developing ideas for expanding drug design and discovery through identifying and modifying the structural features of molecules. This study uses Chemical s through the SciFinder database to count for the occurrence of substances in the scientific literature. The study sets out search strategies for discovering potential research gaps and new ideas through visualization of chemical structures with known bioactivity and target indicators. The author recommends that subject librarians integrate research gap training in their bibliographic instruction classes, particularly to upper-level undergraduate and graduate chemistry students.

COMP presents division awards

The ACS Division of Computers in Chemistry (COMP) presented the following awards at the fall 2018 ACS national meeting in Boston.The OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in Computational Chemistry assists new faculty members in gaining visibility in the COMP community. The winners are Tim Kowalczyk of Western Washington University, Edward O’Brien of Pennsylvania State University, Amish Patel of the University of Pennsylvania, and Diwakar Shukla of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Each winner received a $1,000 prize.The Chemical Computing Group Excellence Award for Graduate Students recognizes outstanding research performance by graduate students in computational chemistry. The recipients are Victor Fung of the University of California, Riverside; Gabriel dos Passos Gomes of Florida State University; Rajat Maji of Texas A&M University; Qing Zhao of Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and Hongyu Zhou of Southern Methodist University. The Wiley Computers in Chemistry Outstanding Postdoc Award went to Ka Un Lao of Cornell University

Reactions

OPINION Reactions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail C&EN, 2018, 96 (40), p 3October 8, 2018Cite this:C&EN 96, 40, 3(Credit: Will Ludwig/C&EN/Shutterstock)Figure1of1▸ Letters to the editor Graduate student journeys The “Chemistry Grad School Experience” issue (C&EN, Sept. 10, page 16) spent most of its time on negative aspects of a Ph.D. program. But that is not how I remember it.Getting a chemistry Ph.D. can be a wonderful experience and a special time that is unlikely to be repeated in any career. Once you get past whatever coursework and exams are required, there is an extended period where all you really have to do is research. You have no other obligations—no meetings, no schedule, no one monitoring your working hours. Just come in and do experiments, calculations, whatever, until you are too tired to go on; sleep, wake up when you want to, and do some more research.It is also a time of being in a close community—your own research group and all the other chemistry graduate students. If you are lucky, as I was, you also develop a very close relationship with your thesis adviser and possibly with other faculty, and you begin to become a part of the larger community of your area of research through attending meetings, meeting visiting scientists, and listening to seminars.I wish that the issue, which had much good advice, had done a bit more to capture the pleasure and privilege of getting a Ph.D. in chemistry.Bernard J. Bulkin London I am writing in response to the article by Mitch Jacoby in the Sept. 10 issue (page 20). I was a young assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, in 1966 when my research assistant applied to four graduate schools in chemistry: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and the University of California, Berkeley. He received offers from all four! He asked which one I would recommend, and my comment was they are all excellent. The next day he told me that he would attend Caltech. I asked, Why? He had been watching a popular TV show called “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” and it had filmed scenes in labs at Caltech. That convinced him! He earned his Ph.D. under professor Harry Gray in 1971 and never left. George Rossman is now a professor of mineralogy and is a world authority on gemstones. My former student is now a “rock star”! Allen A. Denio Newark, Del. Correction Sept. 3, page 8: The news story about an 18-electron alkaline earth metal complex incorrectly describes a spectroscopic shift as being to a lower wavelength. The shift was to a longer wavelength.

Perspective from grad school: Master’s degrees matter

Graduate students have a lot on their plates. They are expected to do exceptional research, publish frequently, take classes, teach, train new students ... the list goes on and on. Eventually, the primary tasks become finding a job and graduating. An issue that can affect these fledgling chemists is the lack of information and support for those facing the decision between master’s and doctoral degrees. The availability of more information about this decision might eliminate the population of graduate students without clear career goals who stay in grad school because they see no other option. In my experience as a chemistry graduate student, a master’s degree is viewed with contempt even though there are a significant number of jobs in chemistry for applicants with a master’s degree. Yes, these are frequently “limited” to jobs in industry—another idea that is often viewed with contempt by those in academia—but that does not

Stress and Mental Health in Graduate School: How Student Empowerment Creates Lasting Change

This article describes an ongoing initiative of the Department of Chemistry (Chem. Dept.) at the University of Minnesota (UMN) to support the mental health of graduate students. With the increasing pressure on students to carry out novel research, publish articles, learn a broad range of skills, and look for career opportunities, the levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among graduate students are on the rise. For tackling these issues, the UMN Chem. Dept. has adopted an approach that heavily relies on the involvement of graduate students and student empowerment. This contribution describes the results of a collaboration between a student group (Community of Chemistry Graduate Students, CCGS), the director of graduate studies of the Chem. Dept., and mental health professionals at the UMN campus health service, to provide strategies for ensuring a welcoming and productive departmental climate. It describes the events that CCGS has hosted to help to improve the mental health of students, and raise awar...

COMP names 2018 winners

The ACS Division of Computers in Chemistry (COMP) presented several awards during the spring 2018 ACS national meeting in New Orleans. The OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in Computational Chemistry helps new faculty members gain visibility within the COMP community. The winners are Heather Kulik of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Daniel Lambrecht of the University of Pittsburgh, Eric May of the University of Connecticut, and Adam Willard of MIT. Each winner received a $1,000 prize. The Chemical Computing Group Excellence Award for Graduate Students, cosponsored by the Chemical Computing Group and COMP, recognizes outstanding research performance by graduate students in computational chemistry. The recipients are Stephanie Hare of the University of California, Davis; John Karnes of the University of California, Santa Cruz; Michiel Niesen of California Institute of Technology; Alice Walker the University of North Texas; and Tzuhsiung Yang of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The Wiley Co...

Information Seeking Behaviors, Attitudes, and Choices of Academic Chemists

ABSTRACTChemists in academic institutions utilize a variety of resources and strategies to remain current and to track scholarly information, patents, and news. To explore how chemists in academic institutions remain current, librarians at four Canadian university institutions surveyed 231 and interviewed 14 chemistry faculty, staff, and graduate students on their information seeking behaviors and attitudes. According to survey results, a minority of chemists (13.9 percent) acknowledged that they were successfully keeping up to date, while 50.6 percent indicated that they were somewhat successful. However, a significant number of chemists (35.5 percent) indicated that they were unsuccessful and could do better in remaining current with information. Investigators analyzing focus group data identified three emergent themes related to remaining current: (1) there is “too much information – and not enough time.” No single information seeking strategy works; (2) “patents are important – but messy.” Chemists find themselves largely suspicious about the value and credibility of patents; and (3) chemists “could do better” in keeping up to date with new and emerging technologies. Chemists continue to be open to new tools and resources yet readily acknowledge that they are too often not sure which information seeking behaviors, resources, or strategies work best. This study helps to shed light on opportunities to identify and meet chemists’ evolving information needs.

Analysis of Citations to Books in Chemistry PhD Dissertations in an Era of Transition.

A citation analysis of chemistry PhD dissertations at the University of Texas at Austin yielded data on how often graduate students cite books in their bibliographies, and on the characteristics of the books cited, in terms of age and local ownership. The analysis examined samples of dissertations selected from five discrete years - 198: 200: 2009, 201: and 2015 - in order to provide longitudinal data on how citation trends are changing during a transition period in libraries. Data indicated that chemistry graduate students cited low numbers of books relative to journal articles, confirming expectations from similar studies, and that the trend over the time period studied is downward, despite the increasing number and availability of e-books. The results could inform collection management decisions and strategies for promoting book content to graduate students in future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of Undergraduate and Graduate Chemistry Students’ Understanding of Thermodynamic Driving Forces in Chemical Reactions and Dissolution

The concept of energy is of central significance, as it is a core disciplinary idea in chemistry and a cross-cutting concept in the sciences. This study sought to investigate student understanding of energetics and associated thermodynamic functions in chemical reactions and processes across a sample of introductory-level undergraduate chemistry students, upper-level undergraduate chemistry students, and physical chemistry graduate students. Participants were interviewed using an interview-about-events protocol, interacting with reagents that underwent chemical reactions or dissolutions. Analysis of the interview data revealed specific student difficulties with content, as well as common reasoning patterns used by students when considering energy changes in observed reactions and processes. Implications for curriculum and instruction are discussed.

Graduate Student Designed and Delivered: An Upper-Level Online Course for Undergraduates in Green Chemistry and Sustainability

Green chemistry and sustainability have garnered more awareness in the chemical industry in recent years, but green chemistry classes are still not commonplace for either the undergraduate or graduate student curriculum. Additionally, many departments are seeking avenues to reach greater numbers and types of learners through online courses. To address both needs, a small group of chemistry graduate students set out to design a 3-credit-hour upper-level online green chemistry course targeted at students most likely to apply green chemistry concepts in their future careers. The goals for the course included education in the basics of green chemistry (history, metrics, methodologies) along with opportunities to apply what they have learned and communicate it to a general audience. This process of developing modules and assessments for the discovery and application of green chemistry principles has enabled a supplementary education for the graduate students as well. Herein, the specific motivations of the gra...

Essential Elements of Collaboration: Understanding How Chemistry Graduate Students Experience Collaboration through International Research Visits

This study explores how graduate students learn to participate in collaborative international science research. As part of an NSF-funded program, 21 graduate students participated in extended research visits to China, completing surveys before and after traveling, and participating in semistructured interviews upon returning to the U.S. These survey and interview data were qualitatively analyzed to determine how graduate student participants defined collaboration and how they positioned their own research experience in an international context. Data were coded using emergent thematic analysis via a first pass open-coding to generate a comprehensive list of descriptive codes for collaboration and then a synthesis of these codes through discussions guided by theories of situated learning in communities of practice. Findings suggest that all graduate students emphasized the importance of effective communication in collaboration. Graduate students also described collaboration as including at least one of the ...

The ‘<i>Yard Stick</i>’ to Interpret the Entropy of Activation in Chemical Kinetics: A Physical-Organic Chemistry Exercise

No physical or physical-organic chemistry laboratory goes without a single instrument. To measure conductance we use conductometer, pH meter for measuring pH, colorimeter for absorbance, viscometer for viscosity, potentiometer for emf, polarimeter for angle of rotation, and several other instruments for different physical properties. But when it comes to the turn of thermodynamic or activation parameters, we don’t have any meters. The only way to evaluate all the thermodynamic or activation parameters is the use of some empirical equations available in many physical chemistry text books. Most often it is very easy to interpret the enthalpy change and free energy change in thermodynamics and the corresponding activation parameters in chemical kinetics. When it comes to interpretation of change of entropy or change of entropy of activation, more often it frightens than enlightens a new teacher while teaching and the students while learning. The classical thermodynamic entropy change is well explained by Atkins in terms of a sneeze in a busy street generates less additional disorder than the same sneeze in a quiet library (Figure 1) . The two environments are analogues of high and low temperatures, respectively. In this article making use of Eyring equation a factor usually called ‘universal factor’ is derived and made use as a ‘yard stick’ to interpreting the change in entropy of activation for physical or physical-organic chemistry senior undergraduate and graduate students’ class-room.