A Tour of Lycoming Chemistry

This tour describes and shows some of the things you might experience as a student taking chemistry classes at Lycoming.

 

Whenever the name and number of a course is given, it is linked to the catalog description, so you can click on it to read more about what each course involves. 

You can see the syllabi for the courses offered this semester and in past semesters here. Once you are at the Schedule page, click on the course name, and the link will take you to the syllabus.

Whenever a classroom or lab name is linked, click on it to see a picture of some of things going on there.

Mike Greenage and Dr. Bendorf discuss homework

The Spectroscopy and Molecular Structure 442 class
and Dr. McDonald work on a problem in Heim 220.

Each professor's name is linked to their home page, so you can see what they are teaching this semester and what their interests are.

You can also contact us directly by e-mail:

Dr. Bendorf: bendorf@lycoming.edu

Dr. Mahler: mahler@lycoming.edu

Dr. McDonald: mcdonald@lycoming.edu

Dr. Ramsey: ramsey@lycoming.edu

 

We hope you enjoy this tour, but the best way to experience Lycoming College and the Department of Chemistry is to make a campus visit!

All chemistry classes are offered in the Heim Building. The Department of Chemistry has occupied the $10 million Heim Biology and Chemistry building, one of the finest undergraduate science facilities in the East, since 1990. The three-level building has over 63,000 square feet and houses both the Biology and Chemistry Departments. 

 

The Ground floor of the Heim Building contains two large lecture halls, prep labs for each lecture hall, two smaller classrooms, the Department of Chemistry's Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Facility, a computer lab, an aquarium room, animal facilities, an electron microscope lab with a complete photography darkroom, three state-of-the-art chemical storage rooms, a radiation lab, a cell culture lab, and various storage and engineering areas.

 

The First floor of the Heim Building houses the Department of Biology and has offices, teaching and research labs, a museum, a reading room, and a greenhouse.

The Second floor of the Heim Building houses the Department of Chemistry and the Secretary for both Biology and Chemistry. This floor has a seminar room, a classroom, four faculty offices, four research labs, a central instrument lab, and five teaching labs. 

 

These labs are for General, either General or Organic, Organic, Physical and either Analytical or Inorganic Chemistry. There is also a Chemistry Reading room, a small kitchen, a computer room, balance rooms, and a stockroom. The Department possesses excellent instrumentation (and a hands-on policy for students from first semester general chemistry on!).

 

You can learn more about the Department's instrumentation and see more photos of Lycoming Chemistry students using their instruments here.

Students usually start out in General Chemistry I 110, which is taught every Fall semester. The next course in the sequence is General Chemistry II 111, which is taught every Spring semester. All four chemistry faculty teach General Chemistry on a rotating basis. Students planning to major in Chemistry should take General Chemistry in their freshman year. Students entering with credit for General Chemistry may be able to enroll in Organic Chemistry I 220 as freshmen.

General Chemistry typically has 60 to 85 students. Each week there are three lectures, one recitation, and a three-hour lab. In recitation, students go over questions from lecture and homework with the professor (half of the lecture student are in each recitation section). Students put their chemistry knowledge to the practical test in one of several three-hour labs each week. Labs typically have 18 or fewer students and are taught by a professor or instructor (labs also have a student teaching assistant). 

 

Organic Chemistry I 220 and Organic Chemistry II 221 are taught each Fall and Spring semester, respectively. Enrollments are typically 40 to 50 students. Each week there are three lectures, one four-hour lab, and usually a review session. The lab typically has 16 students. Each has their own fume hood, two lab drawers, and bench space. Chemistry majors typically take this course in their sophomore year.

One of four courses which satisfies the Chemistry Capstone Experience is also required of every major. In these courses, students take the chemistry they have learned and apply it in an "out of classroom experience", usually involving research. 

 

Chemistry Research Methods 449 involves students in a research project with a chemistry professor and a weekly seminar.

In Chemistry Internship 470 students do research work in an industrial laboratory.

Chemistry Honors Project 490 students write a thesis on their research project and graduate with Departmental Honors.

Student Teaching (the Professional Semester, Education 446, 447 & 449) allows future teachers to use what they have learned teaching.

 

Students can also do paid summer research with members of the chemistry faculty or do research as part of a Chemistry Independent Study 480.

A Chemistry major can receive either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. Please see the catalog for details.

 

To earn the B.A. degree, a student must complete nine chemistry courses: 110-111; 220-221; 330-331; 332; 333; and one course satisfying the Capstone Experience (449, 470, 490, or Student Teaching); as well as two semesters each of calculus and physics. 

 

To earn the B.S. degree, a student must complete the B.A. requirements, and complete three additional courses: Advanced Analytical 443, any 400 level Chemistry course, one advanced course from the Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Math, or Computer Departments. 

A Chemistry Minor must complete 110-111 and four more Chemistry courses numbered 220 or higher (from two groups of courses).