Gautam Bhattacharyya
Assistant Professor
Chemistry Education
Phone: (864) 656-1356
Office: 363 Hunter
E-mail: gautamb@clemson.edu
Research Interests | Publications
Sc.B., Brown University, 1992; A.M. (E. J. Corey) Harvard University, 1994; Ph.D. (G. M. Bodner) Purdue University, 2004. Research Fellow (S. E. Shoelson), Joslin Diabetes Center, 1997-1999. Chemical Education and Philosophy of Science
Research Interests
In my research I use qualitative research methods to understand how individuals learn, especially in the area of organic chemistry. While instructional materials are constantly developed to help students in organic chemistry courses, most of that is created without much understanding of how students learn organic chemistry because very little research has been done in the area of learning in organic chemistry. To make instructional interventions more effective it is imperative to understand how students learn organic chemistry since observable behavior, e.g., the ability to solve a problem, does not necessarily imply comprehension of the underlying principles. My research approach is similar to that of a synthetic organic chemist who attempts to understand the mechanism of a reaction before altering the reaction conditions to fit a specific substrate. Currently, my research is focused on two areas which are briefly described below.
Practitioner Development
Traditionally, the Organic Divisions of Departments of Chemistry have the largest number of graduate students in chemistry doctoral programs. Yet, very little is understood of the processes by which students evolve into practicing organic chemists.
I am investigating this process from three angles.
• How do students learn organic chemistry?
• What practitioner-like habits of mind do graduate students learn during
their doctoral training?
• How do students evolve into researchers?
Learning in the Classroom Laboratory
Teaching laboratories are considered a cornerstone of the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. In recent years much effort has been placed to re-design labs so that they resemble a more “research-like” experience. Although student attitudes tend to be positively affected by some of these interventions, there is little evidence if students learn more in these new settings when compared to the traditional “cookbook-style” labs. We want to better understand what barriers, if any, students have in applying chemical concepts to their laboratory activities.
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Publications
Bhattacharyya, G., Calimsiz, S. & Bodner, G. M.; IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 2003, 46, 320-326.
Bodner, G. M. & Bhattacharyya, G.; Educacion Quimica, 2005, 16, 222-229.
Bhattacharyya, G. & Bodner, G. M.; Journal of Chemical Education, 2005, 82, 1402-1407.
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