Chemistry Education Fostering Creativity in the Digital Era

Abstract

This article is dedicated to Professor Rafael Luque Alvarez de Sotomayor, University of Cordoba, for all he has done to educate and mentor chemistry students in the course of the last decade.Abstract: Renewing undergraduate education in the chemical sciences to foster creativity using research, visualization and connectivity resources has substantial benefits, but requires changes in the curriculum and teaching methodology as well as in academic teaching and human resource conventional policies.

Italy's nutraceutical industry: a process and bioeconomy perspective into a key area of the global economy

“…Many recent advances in nutraceutical science and technology – from the new green chemistry processes mentioned above to the new role of phytochemistry in the emerging bioeconomy – are ideally suited to enter the curricula of renewed chemistry courses using recent research outcomes …”

AurOrGlass: ORMOSIL Sol‐Gel Glasses Functionalized with Gold Nanoparticles for Advanced Optical Applications

“…This single example of an electrochemical application of ORMOSIL‐entrapped Au nanoparticles testifies how important is that “chemistry practitioners at all levels will increasingly need more education on sol‐gel hybrid silicas” . Such education fostering creativity using contemporary research resources has a great deal to learn from the story of ORMOSILs functionalized with gold nanocrystals for optical applications critically reviewed in this study.…”

Look Better: Single Atoms in Chemistry and Single Atoms in Physics

“…[48] In general, visualization helps scientists "to envisage new possibilities by imagining certain spatial and physical properties and operations", [14] from which it follows that by expanding and enhancing visualization skills and ability we can help scientists, and chemists in particular, to envisage more possibilities and creation of new substances and functional materials. [2,4,12] Observing that "fruitful progress is often made at the fuzzy interface between disciplines; and because great discoveries were often associated with the ability of the researcher to look at a problem from an angle which is outside her own discipline", [1] I concluded in 2010 that "collaboration with biologists, physicists, geologists etc. seeking the advice of chemists is and will increasingly be a feature common to leading chemical researchers".…”

“…[3] Drawing examples from different areas of chemistry, we have lately shown how visualization can be effectively used alongside with recent research outcomes and digital connectivity tools to enhance chemistry education with the aim to foster creativity in chemistry. [4] Similar concepts are already used to improve chemistry education and enhance its attractiveness. For example, in some Switzerland's high schools "recent research work" is used to make chemistry "live, colourful and vivid to students, i. e. not something that has already been done by others before, but something that one can pursue oneself and that is totally new and original".…”