Education
Few ventures elicit more joy than devising a beautiful solution to a difficult problem. Synthetic organic chemistry distinguishes itself from other scientific endeavors by its unique blend of logic, visual reasoning, composition and design. Organic synthesis is the only science ever described as an art by the Nobel committee. It is more akin to music and mathematics than the stodgy academic study imagined by outsiders. I hope to impart a joy of problem solving to my own students, not merely to enable their careers, but to help them become the next generation of scientific innovators.
This intellectual development will be accompanied by experimental acumen and technical skill. Every dissertation should reflect a world-class education; each student should become the world’s expert on their topic. In every case, the student will be challenged to achieve what they once believed impossible.
E.J. Corey’s Laboratory Rules
- Work Thoughtfully
- Work Safely
- Work Efficiently
- Communicate Well
- Keep Learning
- Be Skeptical of Your Assumptions
- Make Judicious and Logical Choices
Sites we like –
Practical Lab Techniques by Kanny Wan
Books we read –
- The Elements of Style by E.B. White and William Strunk, Jr.
- Transforming Matter: A History of Chemistry from Alchemy to the Buckyball by Trevor Harvey Levere
- Nabokov’s Favorite Word is Mauve by Ben Blatt
Looking for a good PhD Thesis example?
- Check out this superb write-up by Thomas A. Munro of the University of Melbourne.
Looking for a good Supporting Information example?
- Check out Chris Reiher’s SI for his kalihinol C synthesis (free of charge from ACS).
