Synthesis of the Intermediate of a Catalytic Reaction: An NHC-Stabilized, First-Row Transition Metal Complex
Meng Zhou, Lawrence Technological University
The advanced synthesis laboratory course object allows students to study the synthesis, purification, and characterizations of a new diamagnetic organometallic complex of a first-row transition metal. The air-stable complex is stabilized by an N-heterocyclic carbene spectator ligand. It also bears an actor ligand and therefore, is potentially a reactive intermediate of a catalytic reaction. The synthesis of a reactive intermediate is the key to elucidate the mechanism of catalysis. The instructor chooses the first-row transition metal and the actor ligand based on his or her interests. The CURE starts from an NHC-ligated complex that does not bear this actor ligand but is otherwise similar. In our CURE, an anion ligand-replacement reaction was used to install the actor ligand, but an instructor may choose other approaches. The students will evaluate their results by standard spectroscopic analyses using UV-vis, FT-IR, and proton NMR (60 MHz or above) analysis.

Laser spectroscopy of atmospherically relevant molecules and clusters in helium nanodroplets
Paul Raston, James Madison University
Superfluid helium nanodroplets present an ideal medium for the study of chemical dynamics at the molecular level. Their low temperature, enormous heat conductivity, and weakly interacting nature allow for the investigation of various things, such as how molecular rotation is effected by a solvent, and how molecules interact with each other. These two topics will be addressed in the lab by (1) measuring the spectra of unexplored molecules in helium nanodroplets and determining their rotational constants; this data will then be used to test known models describing the interaction between the molecule and helium solvent, and (2) synthesizing and characterizing unexplored molecular clusters in an effort to better understand molecular solvation; students will solvate the "unexplored molecule" with an atmospherically relevant species (O2, N2, H2O), and investigate the resulting clusters with laser Stark spectroscopy.

Determining the Calcium and Magnesium Ions in Water (Total Water Hardness)
Candice Cortney, California State University-Fresno
CHEM 1AL is laboratory course that introduces laboratory methods in general chemistry for undergraduates who have declared, or interested in, a science major. The CURE research for this laboratory will be centered around students determining the total hardness of water from different sources of water (i.e. bottled, filtered, tap). This CURE design will span across seven consecutive weeks and this will allow students to plan, propose, implement, analyze, and present their results. Implementing a CURE design into this course will give students experience with research and reinforce proper laboratory techniques.

Heart-Rate Variability, Apps, Wearables, and Stress
Martin Shapiro, California State University-Fresno
Psychophysiology is the sub-discipline in neuroscience that looks at human physiological responses (e.g., heart rate or brainwaves) that correlate with behavior. This type of research is typically conducted in a highly controlled laboratory with precise and expensive equipment. My goal is to create experiments that students can conduct with relatively inexpensive monitoring devices that connect to apps on tablets and phones in real-world situations. There are several devices that connect to apps that monitor physiology related to exercise, stress, sleep patterns, and attention. These are referred to as 'wearables' are currently a multibillion-dollar industry. With the exception of a few studies, there has been little work on the efficacy of these devices. One physiological biomarker for stress and attention is heart rate and heart-rate variability (HRV). I would like, as a class, for us to develop testable hypotheses and conduct research investigating wearables for HRV and stress.

A short medicinal-chemistry inspired laboratory sequence aimed at understanding and controlling bacterial communication.
Laura Brown, Indiana University-Bloomington
Medicinal chemists are organic chemists (often employed by pharmaceutical companies) who synthesize and develop new organic molecules with favorable biological properties. As an illustrative example, penicillin was discovered in 1928 and developed into a drug in 1942. Resistance quickly arose and continues to be a problem, and penicillin is not effective against all types of bacteria. In the decades that followed, medicinal chemists synthesized a variety of molecules that were similar in structure to penicillin, but that either demonstrated enhanced antibiotic activity or did not exhibit the same resistance profile. A new approach to controlling the pathogenicity of bacteria is to simply "trick" the bacteria into remaining in their "normal" non-pathogenic state by controlling the ability of bacteria to communicate with one another by a mechanism termed "Quorum Sensing." Quorum sensing is a form of chemical communication by which bacteria sense each other's presence via concentration gradients of small molecules. I have a collaborator in the biology department who has developed a biochemical assay to identify inhibitors of this process, and the students who sign up for this course will synthesize a small library of molecules to test in this assay.

General Chemistry II Water Quality labs at Adams State University
Christina Miller, Adams State University; Christopher Adams, Adams State University; Umesh Bhattarai, Adams State University
Adams State is conducting CURES in many of our lower divisional Biology, Chemistry, Geology and Math courses to increase the number and diversity of students who participate in undergraduate research. In General Chemistry II lab we will be replacing our normal labs concerning titration pH and ion solubility with CURES concerning water quality. These water samples will come from surrounding areas that have either been grazed or ungrazed to find out if there are differences in water quality between them. We will be using ion-specific probes to determine the presence and concentration of specific ions in the water samples. We will be using pH probes and titration to determine the acid concentration in water samples.

Polymer/Materials Structure-Property Relationship Investigations for General Chemistry Students
Zuleikha Kurji, Saint Marys College of California

Hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borate Ruthenium(II) Complexes Containing Phosphine or Phosphite Ligands
Jocelyn Lanorio, Illinois College
This course-based research will introduce students in an advanced inorganic chemistry course to air-sensitive and catalysis. Students will examine a series of ruthenium(II) hydridotris(pyrazolyl)borato complexes with phosphine or phosphite ligands using modern instrumentation and specialized equipment such as Schlenk line and drybox. The first two meetings should be devoted for literature search, familiarization of instrument operation, and selection of phosphine or phosphite ligand along with student submitting proposal that contains the safety protocols and handling of the chemicals involved in their selected system. Four meetings will then be designated for the synthesis and characterization of the complex. The students run catalytic and control reactions and determine the percent yield of the product using 1H NMR. The synthesis and catalytic conditions are modified from previously published research articles. This experiment combines complex synthesis, characterization, data analysis and data sharing.

The effects of grazing of water coliforms and antibiotic resistant microbes
Kristy Duran, Adams State University; Benita Brink, Adams State University

Soil health analysis at the NC A&T Student farm
Arnab Bhowmik, North Carolina A & T State University
Soil health is the capacity of soil to not only be productive but maintain ecological services. The NC A&T student farm is an excellent opportunity for students to have hands-on experience for soil science related experiential learning. This project will allow the students to develop skills to sample, test, analyse and interpret soil properties as a function of different soil mangement strategies