Dr. Jeffrey A. Gray
Laser-based spectroscopy is becoming widespread in chemistry and thus
should be incorporated into the curriculum of undergraduate chemistry
students. In an NSF-supported project, I developed several modern
optical experiments for undergraduate physical chemistry and instrumental analysis, laboratory courses. Topics
include Raman spectroscopy in aqueous solutions, multiphoton ionization
spectrometry in flames, and fluorescence spectroscopy (spectrally and temporally resolved). Results have been published in the Journal of Chemical Education (see J. Chem. Educ. 76, 1272 (1999) and J. Chem. Educ. 79, 500 (2002)).
I also teach introductory chemistry and general chemistry for engineers. My lectures are designed to stimulate critial thinking. In lab, I encourage students to use computers both for data acquisition (T, p, pH, V, etc.) and for graphical analysis. I am currently developing new lab procedures that involve fiber-optic/CCD spectrophotometers. In 1995 I created the ONU general chemistry lab manual, which is still used by more than 450 students each year.
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