To help my students become more aware of the global impact of chemistry world-wide, I propose to add four cultural modules to their study of chemistry. The four cultural modules would focus on the following areas:

The United States-North Carolina. How does chemistry affect the economy of eastern North Carolina? Do my students know that pharmaceutical companies like GlaxoSmithKine and Merck and Co. call North Carolina home?

Europe-Germany. Germany is generally considered the birthplace of modern organic chemistry. Pharmaceutical companies like Bayer and Beohringer-Ingelheim also got their start in Germany.

The Far East-China. With its emerging economy often in the news, China is becoming known for consumer products contaminated with melamine and lead contaminated toys.

Latin America-Mexico. Latinos continue to be one of the fastest growing populations in North Carolina. What affect will this influx of people have on the chemical industry?

Instruction for each module:

Students will explore the following issues:

Chemistry in that country’s economy.
Major chemical industries in the country.
Chemistry Nobel Prize Winners that region.
The future of chemistry in that country.

Interactive Talks or Videos:

North Carolina – Pharmaceuticals (P H, a current chemistry student will talk with students and answer questions about what it is like to work as a laboratory supervisor at Merck & Co. in Wilson, NC).

Germany – Career Opportunities (D L, a PhD Chemist and technical consultant based in Germany will talk about what it is like to be an American working abroad in the field of chemistry in Europe).

China – Chemical Engineering Internships (R P, an NCSU student who recently completed a chemical engineering internship with the largest paper production plant in China will talk about his experiences in working abroad in China this past summer).

Mexico – Chemistry (I am attempting to find someone who can talk about the current chemical industry in Mexico).

Discussion Boards

Following the development of an appropriate set of discussion questions, the discussion board feature of Blackboard will be used to allow students to give their own thoughts concerning the impact of the chemical industry throughout the world and the four countries that we are focusing on in each module.

One discussion board question might ask the following: What economic factors do you think led Chinese companies to add melamine to products sold in the United States and what should the federal government do about this problem?

Assessment

After completion of the units, appropriate assessment questions will be developed to test the student’s knowledge concerning the impact of the chemical industry throughout today’s world.

One type of assessment question, might ask the students to reflect on the influences that countries like Germany and China have had on the economic future of North Carolina?

Ashton T. Griffin
Chemistry Instructor
Wayne Community College