VIPEr Workshop: Heterogeneous Catalysis at the Frontiers of Inorganic Chemistry

University of Washington, Seattle, WA

June 28 – July 3, 2015

This workshop encoils inorganic faculty, postdocs, and graduate students into the supportive community of scholars known as IONiC (Interactive Online Network of Inorganic Chemistry). Inorganic chemistry is one of the broadest fields in chemistry, covering the entire Periodic Table of the Elements, yet faculty members tend to be narrowly trained in a single subdiscipline. Stepping into the inorganic classroom, where knowledge of all of the subdisciplines is expected, can be daunting. Collaboration with colleagues from different inorganic subfields is an obvious solution to this problem, but geographical and professional isolation, especially at small institutions, inhibits such collaborations. This workshop provides an opportunity to network and collaborate with other inorganic chemists and to deepen knowledge in the broad topic of catalysis which spans all of the subdisciplines of inorganic chemistry. The products of this workshop will introduce students to advances in and applications of catalysis to a variety of important problems.

The IONiC community supports faculty interaction through its web home, VIPEr (Virtual Inorganic Pedagogical Electronic Resource www.ionicviper.org). Participants in this workshop will learn about the resources on VIPEr and become active VIPEr contributors. The workshop theme, catalysis, will add a "back to grad school" feel to the workshop, with participants immersing themselves in cutting edge chemistry, learning from leading researchers in the field, and creating new learning opportunities for their students. The research experts for this workshop will be Karen Goldberg from the host institution, Shannon Boettcher from the University of Oregon, Jillian Dempsey from UNC-Chapel Hill and Cliff Kubiak from UCSD.

Participants will work collaboratively to develop new teaching materials that provide modern catalytic examples to teach inorganic chemistry concepts. Before the workshop, there will be a short pre-workshop web conference that introduces participants to one another and to the web-based collaboration tools that IONiC uses. Participants and workshop leaders will discuss what resources the participants will want to bring to the workshop.

Our NSF grant will pay for lodging and several meals and all workshop expenses.  Attendees must provide their own transportation to the University of Washington but are encouraged to seek funding from their faculty development programs at their home institutions. Applications for this workshop are now closed.

POST-WORKSHOP RESULTS!

These are the Learning Objects (LOs) that were produced by the participants at the UW Catalysis TUES workshop!

Individual LOs Developed for the Workshop   
LO titleLO TypeAuthor(s)Institution
Photoredox Dual Catalysis for Decarboxylative Cross Coupling ReactionLiterature DiscussionKeying DingMiddle Tennessee State University
High Energy Density Materials: Bond enthalpy and safety considerationsIn-Class ActivityKevin HokeBerry College
Isomers within the same point groupProblem SetSarah St. AngeloDickinson College
Gummies and Toothpicks Point Group Determination ActivityIn-Class ActivityDarren AcheyKutztown University
Peer Review - How does it work?: A literature discussion with a focus on scientific communicationLiterature DiscussionMichael NorrisUniversity of Washington
Orbital Viewer: Visualize atomic and molecular orbitalsWeb Resources and AppsKate PlassFranklin & Marshall College
The electronic structure and properties of an iron coordination complex that exhibits thermochromismProblem SetKeith KriseGannon University
Synthesis of Aspirin- A Lewis Acid ApproachLab ExperimentKatie FieldWorcester Polytechnic Institute
  Carolyn SuppleeRowan University
High Energy Density Materials: A laboratory and literature investigationLiterature DiscussionKevin HokeBerry College
Electron Donating and Steric Properties of Various Ligands and Ways to Access Them: Cp vs. Tp vs. Cp* vs. Tp*Problem SetAnna LarsenIthaca College
Lewis Structure ChallengeIn-Class ActivityDavid LaviskaRider University
The Nature of ScienceIn-Class ActivityLori WatsonEarlham College
Analyzing Ir(III) Complexes by NMR?Problem SetVanessa McCaffreyAlbion College
Use of Toulmin’s Argumentation Scheme in Explaining Inorganic ChemistryIn-Class ActivityKate PlassFranklin & Marshall College
Copper Oxide Crystal GrowthLiterature DiscussionEllen SteinmillerUniversity of Dallas
Learning Science! Think Like a Researcher!Literature DiscussionChristina McCarthaNewberry College
Teaching and Learning Package Library from University of CambridgeWeb Resources and AppsVanessa McCaffreyAlbion College
Nomenclature of Coordination Complexes using Automated Response SystemsIn-class ActivityJames KirbyQuinnipiac University
Change in Magnetic Susceptibility as a Function of Temperature: Spin-CrossoverProblem SetFabiola Barrios LanderosYeshiva University
Chemistry Infographics from Compound InterestWeb Resources and AppsDarren AcheyKutztown University
Questions Arising from a Primary Literature Report of Tungsten Complexes of N-Heterocyclic CarbenesProblem SetPaul FischerMacalester College
The Messy Chemist: Separating a Solid MixtureLab ExperimentMichael NorrisUniversity of Washington
Vibrational Modes and IR Spectra using Character TablesIn-Class ActivityKaren McFarlane HolmanWilliamette University
Vibrational Modes and IR Spectra for Intro ChemIn-Class ActivityKaren McFarlane HolmanWilliamette University
Bi-weekly literature discussion with ASAP alertsLiterature DiscussionDavid HerouxSt. Michael's College
Questions on Point Groups and ChiralityProblem SetSarah GoforthCampbell University
Introduction to Miller IndicesWeb Resources and AppsVanessa McCaffreyAlbion University
High Energy Density Materials: A laboratory and/or literature investigationLiterature DiscussionKevin HokeBerry College
Simple Orbital Overlap Exam QuestionProblem SetSarah GoforthCampbell University
Kinesthetic Learning: Cyclic Voltammetry MechanismsIn-Class ActivityChip NataroLafayette College
Team LOs Developed Based on the Expert Talks for the Workshop   
LO titleLO TypeAuthor(s)Institution
A discussion on "Electrochemical formation of a surface-adsorbed hydrogen-evolving species"Literature DiscussionKevin HokeBerry College
  Darren AcheyKutztown University
  Fabiola Barrios LanderosYeshiva University
  Getahun MergaAndrews University
  Michael NorrisUniversity of Washington
Ir(III) Catalyst Regeneration Using Molecular Oxygen: Addressing Key Challenges that Hinder Alkane Dehydrogenation Catalysis. A Literature DiscussionLiterature Vanessa McCaffreyAlbion College
  Anna LarsenIthaca College
  David LaviskaRider University
  Keying DingMiddle Tennessee State Univeristy
  Paul FischerMacalester College
Literature Discussion: Manganese mesbpy electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reductionLiterature DiscussionTina McCarthaNewberry College
  James KirbyQuinnipiac University
  Katie FieldWPI
  Keith KriseGannon University
  Sarah GoforthCampbell University
Literature Based Exam Questions Themed on Mn Electrocatalysis for Carbon Dioxide ReductionProblem SetSarah GoforthCampbell University
  Tina McCarthaNewberry College
  James KirbyQuinnipiac University
  Katie FieldWPI
  Keith KriseGannon University
Can we interpret XPS and CV data? You Boettcher!Literature DiscussionKaren McFarlane HolmanWilliamette University
  David HerouxSt. Michael's College
  Ellen SteinmillerUniversity of Dallas
  Kate PlassFranklin & Marshall College
  Sarah St. AngeloDickinson College
Does this research article exemplify the Scientific Method? You Boettcher!Literature DiscussionSarah St. AngeloDickinson College
  David HerouxSt. Michael's College
  Ellen SteinmillerUniversity of Dallas
  Karen McFarlane HolmanWilliamette University
  Kate PlassFranklin & Marshall College
Analyzing a journal article for basic themes, roles of authors and the scientific methodLiterature DiscussionDarren AcheyKutztown University
  Fabiola Barrios LanderosYeshiva University
  Getahun MergaAndrews University
  Kevin HokeBerry College
  Michael NorrisUniversity of Washington