Chemistry Summer
Research 2008
Desk
assignments: Each of you will be assigned desk space
in the carrel area or in your research advisor's
laboratory.
Research
seminars will be held this summer at
June 11 –
June 18 –
You should
plan your seminars carefully in consultation with your faculty research
advisor. The first one should take no
more than 15 minutes, with 5 additional minutes for
discussion.
The first
seminar should address the question, "What is the history and nature
of the problem I am attacking and what approaches will I use?" You should attempt to describe your research
project in some sort of broader context, explaining why the studies that you
will be carrying out will be significant outside of the narrowly focused
objectives of your project. Background
information from your reading and study of the literature directly and
indirectly related to your problem should be an important component of this
first seminar.
The second
seminar will be presented in a poster session format during the 10th week
of the program. Detailed instructions
for preparation of your poster and for presentation of the poster session will
be provided and discussed as scheduled below:
July 23 -
General session to discuss preparation and presentation of posters and final
reports
July 31 - Poster presentations and
final ceremonies (lunch at a local restaurant)
Questions
are the life-blood of any worthwhile seminar, and you should ask them when
appropriate, expect them and respond to them easily as they arise when you are
the speaker.
You
may want to prepare visual aids for your presentations such as
PowerPoint slides or transparencies of data, spectra, or reaction
sequences. Materials for transparencies
may be obtained in Mrs. Campbell’s office.
In general, however, the chief means of communication should be the
talk.
Picnics:
Besides the science picnic on ???, we will have two chemistry picnics, one on ???,
the other on ????. The locations and times for the picnics will be
announced.
Some other matters of general interest:
1. Keys
- Mr. Princer and Mrs. Campbell have building, drawer, and lab keys which you
may keep for the summer and turn in at the conclusion of your project.
2. After
Hours Work - The normal working period for summer projects is 8-noon and
a. The only acceptable purpose is to pursue
your own research in the library or laboratories.
b. No persons other than summer research
participants may enter the building after hours.
c. If you are going to do chemistry, or any
conceivably hazardous physical manipulations, you must be accompanied by a
"safety buddy".
d. You should inform your research
supervisor of your plans if they are extensive or involve some sort of hazard.
3. General
Atmosphere - Please avoid turning the lab into a lounge-like
environment. Refreshments or food should
not be prepared or consumed in the labs (use the seminar room, carrel area, etc.). Please also refrain from importing
entertainment such as radios, TV's, stereos; also easy chairs, etc.
4. Floods
- Please take appropriate precautions against floods from faulty water lines
and plumbing facilities. This is an extremely important
responsibility.
a. Do
not leave flowing cooling water (rotary evaporator, condenser, etc.) unless
it is under the control of an electronic flow monitor. The set up must be checked out for wired
connections, modest flow rate, and a secure and clean drain.
Water Flow Monitors
Each bench and hood is equipped with a water flow
monitor. If any water is left flowing
unattended, use the water flow monitor.
Mr. Princer or your faculty advisor can instruct you in proper use of
the flow monitor.
b. Don't dump solids or paper down the
sinks.
5. Hoods
- The hoods are equipped with sash stops.
You may flip a 'stop" and move the sash higher, to set up an
apparatus, but be sure to lower the sash below that stop when conducting an
experiment so that a safe air flow is maintained.
The hoods are variable air volume hoods. Note that a gray box at the top of the hood
is connected by a cable to the sash.
This senses the position of the sash and adjusts the airflow to maintain
a constant air velocity. The meter on
the hood indicates the air velocity. Keep the sash pulled
down as much of the time as practical, having it open only to set
up, adjust, and monitor a reaction or apparatus, as this will provide the
safest conditions and the least energy use.
If the sash is left open at night, an alarm will sound, which can be
turned off by closing the sash. An alarm
will also sound if the hood has an airflow too low for safety. If that alarm goes off, try to minimize the
hazard in the hood and notify a member of the faculty or staff. If there is a spill in the hood or room, the
airflow in the hood can be turned to maximum by pressing the red button and
setting the hood to emergency exhaust.
Each hood is equipped with a variable voltage controller
(to control heating mantles, stirrers, etc.) which controls the bottom-most
outlet next to the controller. Hoods
contain cabinets for storing flammable solvents, which should be used for
storage. Some hoods contain ovens which
may be used to dry glassware.
6. Safety
and Accidents - Student researchers are covered by Workman's
Compensation. Accidents causing injury
should be reported. You should be
mindful of the usual laboratory safety practices as recommended, for example,
in Chemistry 210 or 221. Additional
details will be discussed at the time of the first meeting.
7. Library
Books and Journals - Library books should be kept in the library. You may make copies of articles on the copier
in the Science Library.
8.
Computer Search of Chemical Abstracts - Kevin Engel (ENGELK, 4234), Science Librarian, will
provide an orientation session on computer literature searching on May 27 at 1:30 pm in Science 2132
.
9. Copying
- Photocopies of articles you need for your project can be made in the
science library or Burling. A copy code will be given, and should be kept confidential.
10. Equipment
- Please try to keep the general areas and facilities in good shape. If you notice low supplies of a chemical,
expendable equipment, chart paper, compressed gases, etc., please report it
promptly so that the supply can be replenished.
Likewise, please report malfunctioning instruments. Also, please be aware that while some
equipment is departmental, there is also a lot of equipment that is owned by a
particular research group. As a general
policy, you should not "borrow" equipment from a lab without checking
it out with the current users. While
there is generally a good spirit of cooperation during the summer, that spirit
can be seriously dampened by irresponsible actions.
11. Breakage
- Please report all significant breakage so that the necessary replacements or
repairs can be made.
12. Gas
Cylinders - Gas cylinders and liquid nitrogen are stored in room 2213 and 2214 and a
lock combination will be necessary to open the door. Cylinders contain gases at
pressures of up to 2500 psi and are potential rockets. If the cylinder were to fall and the valve
break off, gas would rapidly escape and propel the cylinder through even
concrete walls. Never move a cylinder
without its cap in place. When using cylinders
they should always be clamped to a solid surface. Empty cylinders should be returned to the
empty cylinder area. If you have any
questions about gas cylinder handling, ask your research advisor.
13. Nitrogen
- Labs are equipped with purified nitrogen gas piped from the Introductory
Chemistry storage room (Science 2234).
To use the nitrogen, simply turn on the valve. Use a low flow and turn off the flow when you
are finished. Leaving the nitrogen flow
on without use can quickly drain the system and ruin not only yours, but the
experiments of several people.
14. Ice -
An ice machine is located on the west end of room 2133 (organic laboratory).
15. Instrument
Use - Please use the instrumentation properly. If you are unfamiliar with an instrument,
please consult with an experienced user.
Also, keep the areas around instruments tidy -- properly dispose of your
scrap paper, tissues, etc.
16. NMR -
There will be some general policies concerning the scheduling and use of the
Bruker 400 MHz NMR spectrometer that should help to make it more
productive. Generally there is a sign-up
sheet in the NMR room. Talk to your
faculty advisor for details
17. Vacuum
Pumps - Care should be taken when using vacuum pumps. Always
wear safety glasses when working around a vacuum system as there is an
implosion hazard. You should assume that
vacuum traps are filled with liquid nitrogen when using a pump to protect the
pump from ingesting solvent vapors (which render it incapable of drawing a good
vacuum). Note that if left over more
than about 12 hours, the liquid nitrogen will evaporate and solvent vapors will
be drawn into the pump, so you must regularly 'feed' the traps. More specific instructions should be obtained
from your research advisor prior to the use of vacuum pumps.
18. Chemical
Wastes - Waste organic solvents should be placed in waste containers in
your lab. Wastes are segregated into
halogenated and non-halogenated. Each
waste bottle has a tag on it on which you should note the solvent you added. (This information is required by our waste
disposal firm). Hazardous or toxic
inorganics (such as mercury or lead salts) may be placed in appropriately
labeled vials. Solid organic waste
should be placed in a jar labeled 'Solid Organic Waste'.
19. Academic
Credit - Academic credit (4) will be awarded for satisfactorily completed
projects under Chemistry 299, 399, or 499 registration. Forms for registration are available in the
Registrar's Office. Completed, Part B, forms must be filed by Monday, June
2 for you to receive credit.
20. Stipend
Payments - Student stipends totaling $3400 will be paid biweekly. Paydays are every two weeks on
Fridays, and checks must be picked up at the Treasurer's Office. Those of you who are living in College housing
may have your rent withheld from your paycheck.
The Treasurer’s office is in the
Old Glove Factory (on the SW corner of
21. Reports
and Notebooks - A final comprehensive report on your project is due to your
project director the last day of the participation period of 10 weeks. This should be typed and should be written in
the format of a paper for an ACS journal.
All faculty have copies of the ACS Style Guide which you may use. The primary record of course should be a
hardbound laboratory notebook which is kept up to date daily and is also turned
in the last day.