Finding oneself in the research laboratory

CHED 399

John-Patrick Grant Clark, jpgclark@gmail.com1, Bethany Walls, bwalls@clemson.edu2, and Gautam Bhattacharyya, gautamb@clemson.edu2. (1) Department of Chemistry, Murray State University, Blackburn Science Building, Murray, KY 42071, (2) Department of Chemistry, Clemson University, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634
Completing original, scholarly research is an aspect of obtaining a Ph.D. degree that is emphasized in the sciences because practicing scientists believe that involvement in frontier-level research is the most effective method for helping graduate students learn. We recently completed a study designed to probe what types of knowledge organic chemistry graduate (Ph.D.) students believe they construct during the course of their membership in research groups and the factors that affect this construction. The major finding of this research suggests that graduate students learn scientific process skills, but do not develop deep, conceptual knowledge of the chemistry underlying their work. However, membership in the research group is the students' primary method for developing their identities as chemists. The presentation will focus on the results of this study and the implications for graduate education.
 

Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Chemical Education
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Poster

Division of Chemical Education

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008