On the state of our education ^^ - From MCS President

Fellow chemists,

Recently, representatives from our undergraduate student body gathered to discuss the current state of our education here in the McMaster Chemistry program.

The group quickly agreed on the overall exceptional performance of instructors, staff, and teaching assistants however, universal satisfaction soon turned to heated debate upon the discussion of the facilities McMaster makes available to us and the restricting effect it has on the chemistry we are able to explore.

 As a collective of young scientists, we express grave concern that today's undergraduate chemistry student is losing sight of many important facets of the natural sciences. Particularly, we deplore the limitation of our pursuit of education to scheduled lecture periods and three-hour laboratory sessions.

In response to this, we have received permission to establish a novel option for collaborative instruction in chemistry - external to the department. Right now, we are granted a trial run in January, in which chemistry students from all years of study are invited to participate in a two day course of rigorous investigation in a highly-specialized area of research. The current proposal for this year's inaugural project is:

"The limits of human ethanol ingestion and related effects on solid-state dihydrogen oxide wintersport and relaxation under reflux conditions"


In short, we're all getting crunkt, going skiing and hottubbing. Brrrap!

When: Friday January 12 2007 - Sunday January 14 2007
Where: lodging/"conducting experiments" in Penetanguishene, skiing at Mount St. Louis Moonstone
A detailed itinerary is soon to follow. Sign up with your year-rep begins this week!
Cheers,

Be The Best of whatever you are

If you cant be a pine on the top of the hill,
Be a crub in the valley, but be
The best little scrub by the side of the rill,
Be a bush if you cant be a tree

If you cant be a bush be a bit of grass
And some highway happier make
If you cant be a muskie then just be a bass
But the liveliest bass in the lake!

We cant all be a captain, we've got to be crew
There's something for all of us here,
There's big work to do, and there's lesser to do.
And the task you must do is the near

If you cant be a high way then just be a trail,
If you cant be a the sun, be the star,
It isnt by size that you win or fail
Be the best of whatever you are

Entry for November 05, 2006

random lab answers from some creative students.


1. describe the color of the starting materials (copper & iron) ? copper has a copper color while the color of iron is iron.  --> no comment ~~
2. where can you find MSDS in the lab? MSDS can be found online   -> unfortunately, we dont have the access to the Net in the lab and no computer is available
3. where can you find the chemicals ? somewhere in the lab.. ~~
4. discuss the source of errors?   Nick rushed me  --> funny,  Mike!!! you were 15 minute late.. shall  i  take the mark off for being late??