1998 — 2004 |
Abraham, Neal Albano, Alfonso [⬀] Grobstein, Paul (co-PI) [⬀] Francl, Michelle Cook-Sather, Alison |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Building Bridges: Science Education Reform At Bryn Mawr College
Building Bridges: Science Education Reform at Bryn Mawr College is an institutionwide effort at science teaching reform in a liberal arts setting. It addresses the national need to provide consistently effective models for science and mathematics teaching at a time when students come with increasingly varying pre-college preparation. The program builds upon a wide array of efforts previously undertaken at Bryn Mawr, with the support of various private and federal funding sources, and is informed by national efforts in undergraduate science education reform. Building Bridges seeks: to improve the teaching of math and science through efforts that bring together scientists, humanists and social scientists; to infuse the inquiry-based and cooperative pedagogical methods of the teacher education program into math/science teaching; and to encourage greater interaction among college faculty members, precollege teachers, and students. Specific activities will include: workshops for faculty members teaching in a new cross-disciplinary College Seminar program, required of all undergraduates; a discussion series on science pedagogy for faculty members, graduate students, and precollege teachers; support for the development of courses incorporating new pedagogical approaches, the revision of introductory science courses, and the development of courses bridging math/science and teacher education; and a peer tutoring program for math and science students. The results of Building Bridges will be evaluated both quantitatively, in terms of the extent of faculty participation in the project, and qualitatively, through an existing student course evaluation program and an assessment of the impact on faculty/student attitudes toward and sense of competence in science. The work undertaken through Building Bridges will be institutionalized at the end of the three-year grant period, and its results disseminated through Serendip, a College Web site, and through presentations at national science and science education meetings.
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0.915 |
1998 — 2000 |
Francl, Michelle |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
Powre: Polar Versus Single Electron Transfer Mechanisms in Reactions With Alkylaluminum(Iii) Reagents: a Theoretical Exploration Research Enhancement
This award of the Professional Opportunities for Women in Research and Education (POWRE) program funded through the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (OMA) supports the research and educational activities of Professor Michelle Francl of Bryn Mawr College. This award provides funding for the PI to collaborate with Professor Laurie Butler at the University of Chicago, enabling her to expand her research experience into the relatively unexplored area of main-group organometallic excited-state chemistry. Ab initio molecular orbital theory will be used to explore transition structures corresponding to the polar and single-electron-transfer (SET) pathways for the reaction of simple alkyl aluminum (III) compounds with various carbonyl-containing substrates. The gap between adiabatic surfaces at both types of transition structures will be estimated using virtual-orbital configuration-interaction methods. Structural comparison of the transition states and trends in gaps between surfaces will assist in elucidating the key structural and electronic features governing competition between the two mechanisms
The opportunity afforded through the POWRE program will enhance Professor Francl's research potential as well as her educational mentoring of undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scientists. Through the work supported here, the PI will develop research experience in a new area. Understanding the factors which control reactivity can lead to rationally designed selective reagents for organic and organometallic synthesis. The results of this research can ultimately have considerable impact on costs and complexity in commercial chemical processing.
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0.915 |
2004 — 2005 |
Francl, Michelle |
N/AActivity Code Description: No activity code was retrieved: click on the grant title for more information |
P-Chem With a Purpose - Developing Context-Rich Materials For Physical Chemistry Lecture
Chemistry (12) This proof of concept project is addressing the revitalization of the physical chemistry curriculum through the development of a cohesive set of context-rich materials to supplement physical chemistry lecture courses. In the form of modules, these materials interweave historical, biographical, and technical perspectives on modern research areas related to physical chemistry. They are designed to directly engage students with examples drawn from the primary literature using a mix of conceptual questions and quantitative problems and provide instructors with a resource that can be easily integrated into either a traditional lecture course or an active learning environment at a wide variety of institutions. The project is utilizing a cohort of adopters to both assess and refine the materials. Tested modules along with supporting documentation are being disseminated through a web site.
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0.915 |