Organic Chemistry                                    I'd like to ask a question   

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Q.  Which course should I be enrolled in, CH241 or CH331 and lab?

 

A.  It depends on what your future holds (which, of course, none of us know with total certainty!).  The official rules for Oregon University System transfers are stated in the transfer policy copied below.  Generally, I see it this way:  if you plan to major in chemistry or another scientific field at an Oregon public institution, you will likely opt for the upper-division course.  If you are in Organic because it is a specific program requirement in a program outside of the basic sciences (like natural resources) you may be able to take the course at the lower division.  If you plan to transfer to an institution outside Oregon or if you go to a private school, you can likely enroll at the lower division. 

 

In any case, it’s the institution who will accept your transfer who writes the rules.  Consult them if you have any doubt at all.

 

Oregon University System Credit Transfer Policy: Organic Chemistry
In Oregon, the transfer of organic chemistry credits has presented challenges because it is offered at the lower-division (200-level) in Oregon community colleges and at the upper-division (300-level) in Oregon University System (OUS) institutions. Therefore, this policy specifies two ways in which credit transfer can occur:
1. as a direct transfer of lower-division undergraduate credits, or
2. as upper-division credits according to the following guidelines.
In the absence of: (a) an individual OUS institution's policy exempting transfer students from the American Chemical Society Organic Chemistry Examination noted below, or (b) any other applicable agreement between an Oregon community college and an OUS institution governing the transfer of organic chemistry courses, the full-year, 200-level organic chemistry lecture and laboratory sequence from an Oregon community college shall be transferred to an OUS institution as upper-division credit equivalent to Chemistry 331/332 and any organic laboratory course(s) associated with Chemistry 331/332, provided:
(a) the student receives a grade of C or better each term in the organic chemistry sequence,
(b) the student takes the standardized American Chemical Society Organic Chemistry Examination for the full-year organic course and scores at or above the 50th percentile on a national ranking, and
(c) written verification of the score is provided by the community college to the receiving OUS institution.
Further, the number of upper-division credits granted shall not exceed the total combined credits for Chemistry 331/332 and any organic laboratory course(s) associated with Chemistry 331/332 at the OUS institution to which the courses are being transferred.
This policy was adopted by the Oregon University System Academic Council on May 20, 1999.
Office of Academic Affairs/OUS
May 26, 1999

 

 

Q.  How do I get an “A” in your class?

 

A.  Organic Chemistry has a reputation on campuses across the country as a weed out course designed to make good students fail.  They also may hear that it requires “tons of time” and memorization of a huge collection of reactions.  As with most rumors there may be a kernel of truth to all this, but it is my hope you will find most of these statements misleading in describing my course.  I am not saying the course is easy, but success is possible and you should not (and can not) score well purely because your short-term memory is abnormally good. 

 

Organic chemistry is a young discipline with only around 150 years of history.  It is highly empirical—meaning that it is closely tied to observations and the theory is not as complete as you might think.  Historically, organic chemists had to learn that “Substance A reacts with B to produce C” without much underlying understanding, and elements of that approach persist today.  Fortunately for you, in the last 15 years the idea of teaching Organic from what is called a mechanistic approach has become much more popular.  The mechanistic approach requires a solid understanding of general chemistry and seeks to develop in students an ability to think through organic reactions and understand them.  It’s more like “If Substance A and B are reacted, based on their structures it is reasonable to think they will react in way X to produce…..substance C.”  Gaining an understanding of concepts so that you can do this requires patience, time, and effort. 

 

But Organic chemistry becomes more like puzzle-solving in this system.  It requires less rote memorization  and additionally, it is FUN.

 

Oh!  but the question is “how to get an A.”  Students who do so usually exhibit the following behaviors:

 

1.  They participate actively in class and make sure they understand everything.  This occasionally requires making themselves vulnerable by asking what they fear are “dumb questions,” out loud in front of the group.    

 

2.  They work problems outside of class regularly and thoughtfully.

 

3.  They talk chemistry with their peers, both to get help and to provide it whenever they can. 

 

4.  They read their text.

 

5.  They show a sincere but not excessive interest in performing well on exams and quizzes.  The best students do not usually obsess about scores.  Rather, they keep their focus on learning the concepts, trusting that if they do so they will be ready when exams are in front of them.

 

6.  They allow themselves to relax and have a bit of fun.  A classroom full of people with good attitudes is really, really motivating to other students and to the instructor.  Everyone learns more.

 

Try these things and report back to me—let me know what else should be on this list once you’ve got you’re “A” in hand.
 

 

 

Q.  OK, So I've done a term of Organic and I think I like this stuff.  What opportunities are available to me if I want to learn more about the chemistry, learn more about how chemistry is applied in the real world, or gain more lab experience just because I think it's a good time?

 

A.  Great news!  There are opportunities out there if you are interested in pursuing them.  My first recommendation is for you to travel off our campus to gain some experience in a different environment.  From such an experience you can gain confidence and come to understand that organic chemistry is a language spoken by lots of people doing all sorts of things.  Even with minimal experience you can have a good learning experience and fill out your resume if you are willing to commit a week at Chip Camp or Poly Camp in Eugene at UO. 

 

Once you have some more experience (say, at the end of this academic year) you may be interested in finding out about opportunitites for summer research projects for undergraduates.  Investigate the REU program (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) through the National Science Foundation, or talk to me about who I might know and what you could do for them.  Remember:  grades matter when you apply for these programs, but it is equally important to have demonstrated your curiosity and enthusiasm for studying and doing science.  If I have seen you exhibit the sorts of skills that make for good scientific work (thoroughness, punctuality, good record-keeping, honesty, creativity etc.) I can tell people about this when they ask whether they should take you under their wing. 

 

I say this to encourage you! 

 

You should be investigating these opportunities as early as January of the year when you wish to do a summer internship.  Many summer opportunities have deadlines early in Spring.  Some places fill Internships until they have no more slots available on a first-come-first-served basis.  You won't want to get caught wishing for an internship after the deadlines have passed.

 

Here is where Zelda keeps links to experiences such as those I am speaking of.......let me know how I can help you if you are interested.

 

 

 

Q.  When I told my dad I was thinking about studying chemistry, he said incredulously "What are you going to do with THAT?!"  What do I say to my parents, who do not see how my college education in science will (literally) pay off?

 

 

A.  Chemists are employed in a wide variety of businesses, in government jobs, and in academic laboratories.  An extensive resource resource for students who are considering their career options is compiled and maintained by the American Chemical Society, the premier society for professional chemists, within their website at this location.  People with Chemistry and Chemical Engineering degrees get good wages and are very employable with a Bachelor ("4-year") degree.  They work in various segments of Industry, including petroleum and pharmaceutical industries, and also can find employment with the Government and in Academia.

 

There are nice summaries of employment opportunities in a number of chemical areas at this address. 

 

Choosing exactly what you want to do before you have any experience is just about impossible.  Early on you will want to get experience of any kind.  It is a valuable exercise to inform yourself about the possibilities that are out there and to start down a path toward something which may excite you.  There are many opportunities to fine tune your training or change course.  Don't be overly concerned with locking yourself out of certain fields as you get educated.  Think instead like you are shopping for a career.  Try things out and allow yourself to make changes later if something feels really wrong for you.

 

The short answer for the parent or spouse or for yourself--whoever is having doubts about the employability of someone who knows a lot of chemistry-- is:  chemists are employable in a variety of situations in and out of the lab, and they can make good money.