Are you interested in giving students experience with more open-ended labs? Are you looking for a low-cost, safe solution that teaches students how to think like scientists?

We invite applications for a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) supported project “MICRO: Development and deployment of microfluidic based labs in analytical chemistry”. MICRO labs use paper microfluidics as a way to deliver inquiry-based labs that produce rapid results at a low cost. There is no cost to join the project and participants will be supported (both with some materials and professional development) to implement paper microfluidic labs as either a supplement or replacement for more time-consuming wet chemical experiments.

MICRO labs are targeted for the first course in analytical chemistry (quantitative analysis or similar). Experiments will use chemicals embedded in paper as a way to safely and flexibly deliver traditional methods of analysis while challenging students to be more actively involved in experimental design and data interpretation. Topics typically covered in an analytical chemistry course such as titrations, spectrophotometry, and evaluation of figures of merit of a method can be carried out with paper-based experiments.

Applicants should be teaching an introductory analytical course either in the Fall 2021 or Spring 2022. Because this is a grant-funded project, participants will need to be willing to implement the MICRO labs either in a distance learning or on-campus format as well as participate in professional development and assessment.

Benefits to participants:

Access to a set of at least 10 experiments with associated instructor and student support materials,

Training in how to use the labs and support student learning and engagement

Access to professional development from national leaders in microfluidics, active learning and chemical education,

On going opportunities to engage with a community of peers to support teaching and

Opportunities to develop and publish new lab experiments

Expectations of participants:

Participants will ...

Implement a minimum of 2 MICRO labs in the fall and/or spring term,

Submit requested materials and surveys for assessment purposes,

Work with researchers to collect data on student learning, and

Engage in an online training/professional development workshop that will be scheduled July 26-28, 2021 as well as participate in the online community throughout the 2021-22 academic year.

Application materials should be submitted using the following link: https://uiowa.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4MxR2ouehKW8WWh

Applications should be submitted by July 1.

Questions about the project can be addressed to Kim Frederick (kfreder1@skidmore.edu)