Chemistry

Ignatian Values in a Chemistry Curriculum

Adam Bange, PhD

Mentor: Lifang Wu, BE, BS, MBA, PhD (Manag ement and Entrepreneurship)

Introduction

The field of chemistry, like all sciences, is rapidly changing on many levels. New research is being published at an exponentially increasing rate, and the content of the textbooks changes so rapidly that there are significant changes each time a new edition comes out every couple of years. The labor market for chemists is also undergoing drastic changes. Some skills that did not exist a decade ago are now in high demand, while other major industries, such as the photographic film industry, have all but disappeared. All of this flux puts uncertainty into chemistry education.

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Jesuit Education and Ignatian Pedagogy in Chemistry

Roy J. Cohen, Ph.D.

Mentor: Margaret King, Ph.D. (Nursing)

Jesuit Education is a multi-faceted approach to forming students "intellectually, morally and spiritually, with rigor and compassion, toward lives of solidarity, service, and success." (From the Xavier University Mission statement)

Jesuit Education has a number of goals that help fulfill the Mission of Xavier University:

The goal of Ignatian Pedagogy is three-fold:

These three goals are implemented by teaching in a style that does the following:

As can be seen, the Ignatian model of education is far more than teaching the "3-R's" and just passing students through a system. Ignatian education is student-centered, and is concerned with individual growth and development, not just academic success. Students who are exposed to a good college experience that is centered on the principles outlined above will be a force for good in a world that desperately needs young people who can make a difference. That is my goal as an educator.

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Undergraduate Research: Mission Integration in a Chemistry Laboratory

Craig M. Davis, Ph.D.

Mission Academy

The 2011-2012 Mission Academy was comprised of nine faculty members who met for six sessions under the guidance of Dr. David Burns (Director of Faculty Programs, Center for Mission and Identity). Our objective was "to explore the integration of Xavier's Ignatian Mission into the classroom". Before our Mission Academy I was admittedly skeptical that I could find a way to incorporate our mission into classes on an empirical, physical science. Reflecting on our discussions, I was able to see how broadly and thoroughly one requirement for our majors did indeed achieve the goal of integrating Xavier's Ignatian Mission into the Chemistry curriculum: undergraduate research.

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Green Analytical Chemistry: Teaching Towards Sustainable and Responsible Choices

Supaporn Kradtap Hartwell, Ph.D.
Mentor: Tina Davlin-Pater, Ph.D. (Sport Studies)

Ignatian pedagogy

As a new faculty member of Xavier University who came from a different culture, I was a little worried about how to adjust into not only the western culture but also the "Jesuit" and "Ignatian" culture. I joined the "Ignatian Mentoring Program" with the aim to learn more about the mission of Jesuit universities, and Xavier's Ignatian pedagogy, in particular. After reading many books, having conversations with my mentor, and listening to various seminars, I have come to realize that the mission of Jesuit and Ignatian pedagogy are not at all foreign to me. I have come to believe that by nature, all responsible teachers everywhere already possess the same belief and strive for the same quality as the Jesuit and Ignatian's do, as similarly stated by Debra K. Mooney in the Introduction on page 1 of Do You Walk Ignatian? (2012) that "In fact, you may be surprised to discover that you already, and quite naturally, serve in a manner that reflects Jesuit traditions." According to page 18 of that same booklet Do You Walk Ignatian?, I realize that just by deciding to join this program to improve my familiarity and understanding of the mission and identity of Xavier University is, in itself, already an Ignatian act called "Magis," or "Continuous Quality Improvement."

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Center for Interdisciplinary Biomolecular Studies (CIBS)
A proposal from my experience in the Ignatian Mentoring Program

Dr. Stephen Mills, Chemistry
Mentor: Dr. Justin Link, Physics

The Center for Interdisciplinary Biomolecular Studies (CIBS) is a collaborative effort by Xavier University faculty who study biologically related phenomena from a molecular perspective. By combining our individual expertise, we gain new insights how nature works. We invite students to join us in our studies so they can see the value of cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to important scientific questions. We take advantage of our Jesuit heritage to think carefully about the ethical and moral implications of our studies for each of us individually, and for our society.

CIBS will formalize ongoing cross-departmental interactions between faculty in Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. CIBS will also be open to members of other departments with interests in studying biological problems at a molecular level, broadly defined. Formalizing these interactions into a Center will provide a focal point for prospective students, donors, and funding agencies. This Center will also emphasize to our students the interdisciplinary nature of current scientific research and the benefits of cross-departmental collaborations. Having this Center will provide a more formal structure for interactions and collaborations between the faculty in the associated departments.

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Ignatian Pedagogy in Chem 435, Medicinal Chemistry: the Global AIDS Crisis

Richard J. Mullins, Ph.D.

Mentor: Ed Cueva, Ph.D. (Classics)

In majors level science courses, the vast amount of information to be covered leaves little time to explore issues of ethics and morality dealing with the subject matter. Very often, students taking these courses are doing so with an eye toward medical school, dental school or graduate programs in that particular area. Thus, while issues of ethics and morality are important to these students, the focus of the course must be quite specific, and narrowly defined, as this information is often required for standardized entrance exams. As a result, the possibility for incorporating Jesuit identity into CHEM 435-Medicinal Chemistry was seen as an exciting challenge.

The primary goal of CHEM 435 is to provide students with an introduction to the role of chemistry in the drug discovery and development process. Students receive extensive exposure to methods of drug discovery, synthesis, structure activity relationships and mechanism of action of several classes of drugs. The text for the course,

The Organic Chemistry of Drug Design and Drug Action,1 approaches these topics from the perspective of the organic chemist. The students who choose to take this course are ones who usually pursue advanced degrees in the medical, pharmaceutical or dental field. This class also appeals to students who plan to study chemistry in graduate school. During the semester of this course, the class was made up of 8 students, whose interests were similar to the description above.

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