Analytical chemistry instruments in their new location in Discovery Hall 216. On far end of bench on right: two high-performance liquid chromatographs. From left to right along the wall: Fourier Transform infrared spectrometer, fluorimeter, gas chromatograph (GC), and new gas tank corral. (An atomic absorption spectrometer is not shown, but has been installed to the left of the gas tanks since this photo was taken.)

Laboratory improvements have recently been implemented to place analytical chemistry instruments near students, enhancing the learning experience and assuring safety for students taking classed in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences‘ Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Discovery Hall Room 216 was redesigned to house the primary chemical measurement instruments used in the laboratory courses of Fundamental Analytical Chemistry, taken by sophomores and juniors, and Instrumental Methods of Analysis, taken by seniors.

The redesigned laboratory space is immediately adjacent to and connected directly with a doorway to the Discovery 215 laboratory, where the sample preparations for these courses take place. This new arrangement allows for an increased frequency of use of the instruments and encourages the development of additional advanced experiments that require the instrumentation. The location will also encourage possible future development of experiments for Majors Freshman Chemistry.

The Discovery 216 laboratory renovation also permits safer sample transfer than with the previous upper floor location of those instruments.

The laboratory modifications were made possible by a generous $19,000 donation to the Analytical Chemistry fund by Ingrid Fritsch and Charles Wilkins with the stated objective of improving the overall chemistry experience for both analytical chemistry students and chemistry majors in general.

This story originally appeared in the University of Arkansas’ Newswire publication. Please visit news.uark.edu for more stories like this.