Professional analytical chemists in industry: A short course to encourage students to attend graduate school

Abstract

A group of analytical chemists at Procter and Gamble have developed a one-day short course to inform students about careers as analytical chemists in industry. This course has been presented to over 1400 students.

Peer Reviewed: Preparing Analytical Chemists for Industry

“…Professors should look for more opportunities to pose such problems to students and teach the method as well as the techniques. In the short course that we teach (7), fully half of our time is spent on the problem-solving method and actual industrial problems, and our students (mostly undergraduates) react enthusiastically! More intensive short courses are also available to students.…”

Realizing Workplace Skills in Instrumental Analysis

“…College graduates who majored in chemistry typically enter the workforce lacking specific skills required in industry (1,(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22). For example, companies hiring chemists are usually looking for job candidates who can perform in a teamwork environment to define a problem, collect and analyze samples, validate through quality assurance and control, and effectively communicate recommendations for solutions based on analysis results.…”

Implementation of Traditional and Real-World Cooperative Learning Techniques in Quantitative Analysis Including Near Infrared Spectroscopy for Analysis of Live Fish

“…Whether instrumental or classical methods are used, traditional quantitative analysis laboratory courses need to be modified (3). Specifically, it has recently been reported that as undergraduates graduate and enter the work force, they lack technical skills required for jobs in industry (3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Deviations from the traditional approach are needed to emphasize analyses that require critical thinking and problemsolving skills, provide topics relevant to students' lives and real-world experiences with links to other disciplines, offer analytical processes and concepts, allow students to work independently as well as in groups, generate opportunities for data interpretation, and develop written and oral communication skills.…”

“…Deviations from the traditional approach are needed to emphasize analyses that require critical thinking and problemsolving skills, provide topics relevant to students' lives and real-world experiences with links to other disciplines, offer analytical processes and concepts, allow students to work independently as well as in groups, generate opportunities for data interpretation, and develop written and oral communication skills. Many of these objectives are necessary because teams of scientists and engineers must be able collaborate with other teams to develop cooperative goals and objectives (3,4,8). Additionally, scientists and engineers spend a large amount of time writing reports summarizing their work, proposals justifying purchase of instruments, etc.…”