In addition to our research projects, we are developing unique teaching programs. These include:

Green Organic Chemistry Lab

We helped design and implement the first green organic chemistry laboratory curriculm. Our lab focuses on teaching organic chemistry lab skills in a more environmentally responsible manner, by substituting traditional solvents and reagents for less toxic alternatives. Although chemists in academia and industry have been studying green chemistry for some time, this is the first time an organic lab has been taught using green methods. One of our experiments will soon be published in the Journal for Chemical Education (Reed, S.M.; Hutchison, J.E. "Green Chemistry in the Organic Teaching Laboratory: An Environmentally Benign Synthesis of Adipic Acid," Journal of Chemical Education 2000, In Press). This new instructional laboratory will eventually replace the traditional organic lab. Other lab members collaborating on this project are Marvin Warner and Rob Gilbertson. Learn more about green chemistry at our green chemistry website.

The Industrial Internship Master's/Ph.D. Program

Professor Hutchison helped develop the Industrial Internship Progam in Semiconductor Device Chemistry and Physics through the Materials Science Institute. This unique program allows students to receive a M.S. or Ph.D. while gaining on-hands experience in industry.

Master's students begin the program with a summer of coursework and lab work that focuses on one of two tracks: polymer science or semiconductor manufacturing. In the fall, students apply for paid internships with participating companies and spend six to nine months on the job. After they have completed their internships, students complete 12 credits in physics or chemistry to fulfill requirements for graduation. Most master's students received job offers at the end of their internship period.

Doctoral students typically spend a shorter time in the internship portion of the program. The goal is not to get a job with the company they intern with, but to learn from an industrial perspective the potential significance of work they do in the lab. Such experience adds another viewpoint to the academic one they see at the university. Learn more about the internship programs by visiting the Materials Science Institute website.

Awards (teaching)