Reflections on chemical education at a liberal arts college

CHED 1485

Rebecca J. Whelan, rwhelan@oberlin.edu, Department of Chemistry, Oberlin College, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
Like many young scientists mentored by Dick Zare, I chose to become an educator. After completing graduate training and a traditional research postdoc, I accepted a position as an assistant professor of Chemistry at Oberlin College, a competitive liberal arts college. Oberlin has a long-standing record of excellence in science education and the Chemistry Department, in particular, places great importance on providing meaningful research experiences for our undergraduate students. In this presentation I will provide an overview of the current state of teaching and research at one undergraduate college. Issues to be discussed include: integrating lecture and laboratory curricula, teaching students to be effective communicators, securing funding in a competitive environment, and maintaining an active research program when undergraduate students are the sole labor force. Rather than providing a formula for success, this talk is intended to open the exchange of ideas and advice among the participants in this symposium.