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Sidewalk Chemistry

Looking for a new way to motivate her students to prepare for the spring final exam in CHE 105, Dr. Erin Peters, an instructor in the Department of Chemistry, seized on the idea of an outdoor office hour. Being outside, with the usual masking required for everyone on-campus, would be consistent with University policies, and it would provide students with a chance to abandon their usual study areas and get some fresh air.  But paper and other writing materials are inconvenient or too small.  So, Erin solved the problem by providing sidewalk chalk (multi-colored, of course) and the sidewalk outside the Jacobs Academic Science Building proved to be an ideal chalkboard.  Yes, it could have been a little warmer, but that did not chill the spirits of the students who found it an ideal way to prepare for the final exam later in the day.  It was not only chemistry students who came for help in working problems, but Frost, a service dog in training, found it an ideal way to spend an afternoon.


 

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