Improving Organic Separation and Identification: Acquisition of Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry for Undergraduate Education

With support from the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program), this project aims to enhance chemical instrumentation at the State University of New York at Old Westbury (SUNY OW), a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and primarily an undergraduate institution (PUI). While Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography (UPLC) has been widely adopted in industrial settings, its integration into undergraduate chemistry education is still limited. This UPLC-Mass Spectrometer (MS) will directly benefit approximately 250 students annually at SUNY OW. This initiative will assess three key objectives through the integration of UPLC/MS into the undergraduate curriculum: (1) Ensure seamless installation and comprehensive training by collaborating with the manufacturer, faculty, and lab staff; (2) Incorporate UPLC/MS into undergraduate courses, research projects, and summer programs; and (3) Promote faculty collaboration across scientific disciplines through the utilization of UPLC/MS. A successful acquisition of this state-of-the-art instrument will empower faculty to explore new research avenues, foster interdisciplinary collaborations, and deepen students’ understanding of scientific concepts and critical thinking skills. Ultimately, the HSI Program aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education and build capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.