A Collaborative ExperimentA Collaborative Experiment

Gabriela Weaver, Pratibha Varma-Nelson, Dennis Lehman, Fred Lytle

(Also Donald Wink, Robert Morris)

The CASPiE ModelThe CASPiE Model• Provide access to research experiences for

freshmen and sophomores as part of the mainstream curriculum

• Give students the opportunity to use advanced instrumentation through a network for remote access

• Create a collaborative learning environment with the opportunity to contribute to new knowledge and be part of a scientific community

G. WeaverCurriculum

General AdministrativeDissemination

Purdue Implem.

D. WinkCC/PUI Faculty

DevelopmentUIC Implem.

P. Varma-NelsonPLTL

NEIU Impeml.

F. LytleInstrumentation

W. BooneProgram

Evaluation

W. RobinsonStudent

AssessmentAdvisory Board

R. MorrisSum. ResearchBSU Implem.

D. SteffenInstrumentation

Specialist

General Coordinator

D. LehmanModule

PedagogyCC Liaison

Research in the Lab Course – Why?Research in the Lab Course – Why?• An effective way to engage students who would not otherwise consider or be ready for independent research

• Can affect larger numbers of students• Approximately 30/section, (90-150/yr at

Purdue)

• Can export to various types of institutions

• Community Colleges and PUI’s will be partners who will help develop and use the course modules

• Transfer credit

What constitutes a “research” experience?What constitutes a “research” experience?• Discovery of new knowledge• Ownership of new ideas – asking

questions• Developing experimental

procedures• Collecting and analyzing data

• for meaning, not the “right answer”• Having the opportunity to REVISE• Peer interactions

• feedback and mentoring• being part of a community of scientists (research group and larger)

• Communicating knowledge/results • presentations and publications

““Authentic Science Practice”Authentic Science Practice”• A collaborative learning environment (PLTL)

• Being part of a scientific community

• The opportunity to create new knowledge (Modules)• Advanced instrumentation (Network)• A cognitive apprenticeship approach

• A certain level of autonomy• With guidance and mentoring

Research Modules for the CourseResearch Modules for the Course• Developed by research and teaching faculty

working together• Mutual benefit

• Based on current research topics• Integrate the basic chemistry concepts

appropriate for that semester• Includes use of research-level instrumentation

available remotely

Snowflake ‘phase diagram’Snowflake ‘phase diagram’

Reproduced from: The Snowflake: Winter’s Secret Beauty by K. Libbrecht,Voyageur Press, 2003.

Snowflake growthSnowflake growth

The Undergrad Research ComponentThe Undergrad Research Component• UG involvement through a CASPiE module could enable

a comprehensive search of parameter space:• Temp, supersaturation level, impurity concentration

• Would aid in producing snowflake ‘phase diagrams’ over a range of impurity levels.

• Seek a molecular-scale understanding of the adsorbed species, its level of incorporation into the growing crystal structure, and the effect on crystal growth.

• Potential for student publication or presentation at conferences

• Fundamental General Chemistry concepts involved: • kinetics, hydrogen bonding, coordination number, acid

ionization, atmospheric chemistry• unit cell, crystal faces, crystal growth, surface

adsorption and desorption

• Background information students will need: • Ice crystal structures and growth planes• Pictures of snowflake types• Components of the apparatus

Student activitiesStudent activities• Variables for students to manipulate:

• Temperature, supersaturation level, impurity concentration and type

• Data to be collected: • Calibration curve for water vapor concentration versus

cell temperature and flow rate • Growth of crystals with video camera (shape, rate,

size). • Temperature during snowflake growth• Vapor phase impurity concentration measurement

Partnerships Across InstitutionsPartnerships Across Institutions

• Module development includes voices from multiple types of environments:• community colleges, comprehensive PUI’s, research

institutions

• Usability for students at diverse campuses• Diversity in type of institution• Diversity in ethnicity/race representation

• Improved likelihood of successful dissemination

Building Research CapacityBuilding Research Capacity• Primarily-teaching faculty involved in module

development potential new research projects and collaborations for them

• Continued access to instrumentation to continue their work and collaborations

• Increasing research at PUI’s will give additional opportunities to undergrads to do research there• a multiplier effect

PLTL ModelPLTL Model

• Peer leaders will facilitate group work• Financial support for peer leaders

• Workshops help create a “research group” environment

• Peer leaders benefit by deepening their own understanding• Pipeline to further research

PLTL in the Lab – CASPiE ModelPLTL in the Lab – CASPiE Model• Students will work in

teams of three• Each peer leader will

facilitate two teams of three

• Faculty/TA will be responsible for curriculum development and grading

Role of the peer leadersRole of the peer leaders• Literature searches• Appropriate recording of data• Approaches to data analysis• Ethics of research• Proper presentation of results

• Posters• Oral presentations

Instrumentation NetworkInstrumentation Network• provide research-quality data• automated, high sample throughput for beginning

students• remote calibration and operation via the Internet for

experienced students• run samples outside of “class” time

• repeat experiments

• archiving on a server database with retrieval via an Internet interface

Instrumentation will be situated at four universities, Instrumentation will be situated at four universities, but accessed with a single web interface.but accessed with a single web interface.

Tentative list of equipment:• gas chromatography (NEIU)• liquid chromatography (PU)• gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (PU)• Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (NEIU)• ultraviolet/visible absorption spectroscopy (BSU)• Raman spectroscopy (PU)• nuclear magnetic resonance (UIC)

Instrumentation Instructional MaterialsInstrumentation Instructional Materials

• data interpretation• archived example data sets• instrument operation and calibration • real chemical samples for calibrating

instruments• real chemical samples for demonstrating

specific principles

Example Screen with Remote ControlExample Screen with Remote Control

real-time webcam image of

instrument

softwareoscilloscope

remote computer monitor

instrument computer monitor

software function

generator

Implementation of High ThroughputImplementation of High Throughput• develop protocols for sample identification and

handling (bar codes autosampler)• implement data collection and archiving software

(data file scripting database)• implement remote data retrieval software (HTML

scripting database or data file)• provide software for off-line data processing

(CASPiE or University server)

Implementation of Remote ControlImplementation of Remote Control• use Windows XP Remote Desktop to control

instrumentation (Web interface)• near term - use XP Scripting Host and Task

Manager to bring one instrument on-line • long term - develop web-based scheduling

software to broker remote sessions• integrate with high throughput software and

database

• What is the structure of a research module that best achieves the goals of this project and can be utilized elsewhere? • The initial modules will provide the template for

curriculum based on research• Hope to learn how best to teach fundamental

concepts/skills while still doing authentic research

• What are the best ways to adapt and implement the CASPiE model at other institutions?

Evaluation Goals Evaluation Goals

CASPiE so far…CASPiE so far…• Module development workshop

• In 7 days!• PI’s, senior personnel, module writers

• Timeline has been redefined • pilot modules summer of 05

• Hired Instrumentation Manager• Space for instruments being renovated• Phone interviews for General Manager are

currently being conducted• Website designed and functional

www.purdue.edu/dp/caspie/