Chem Corner - Our New Chemistry Student Study Lounge!
Chem Corner - Our New Chemistry Student Study Lounge!
Who We Are
UC Irvine has one of the largest Chemistry programs in the country, graduating more chemistry majors every year than most other major universities. Yet our Chemistry students do not have a place on campus they can call their own. To fix this problem, the Chemistry Club at UC Irvine and Department of Chemistry are working together to convert the former office of Prof. F. Sherry Rowland, Nobel-prize winning chemist, into Chem Corner. This space will serve as a much-needed student study lounge for all students taking chemistry courses.
Rowland Hall under a clear blue sky
Our Impact
This project is highly significant for a number of reasons:
1) Similar study lounges already exist for physics and math, and they have been invaluable assets for students working through these difficult subjects. Chem Corner will be the first dedicated space for studying chemistry at UC Irvine. As there are a large fraction of freshman students taking chemistry courses outside their major, the lounge will have broad, long-term impact across campus - extending beyond Chemistry majors alone.
2) The Chem Corner study lounge will create a space for networking among students interested in chemistry and help strengthen our campus community. This space will be especially beneficial for commuters, who make up a large majority of UC Irvine undergraduate students, by providing an inclusive space for studying chemistry with other students between classes.
3) The Chem Corner study lounge will be located in the office that used to belong to Professor F. Sherry Rowland, famous for his Nobel prize winning research in atmospheric chemistry. This connection to the past will help lounge users better appreciate the history of scientific growth at UC Irvine and increase their understanding of the environmental issues facing humankind. The lounge will contain a bust of Professor Rowland and a description of his accomplishments along with several books and memorabilia related to the history of the Chemistry Department at UC Irvine, so current students can look into the past and feel inspired about their future.
Rowland, left, works in the lab with postdoctoral researcher Mario J. Molina in January 1975. Twenty years later, they shared the Nobel Prize in chemistry with Paul J. Crutzen ”for their work in atmospheric chemistry, particularly concerning the formation and decomposition of ozone.”
Courtesy of UC Irvine Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives
Why Your Support Matters
Funds are urgently needed to make Chem Corner a reality! As we work to renovate Professor F. Sherry Rowland’s office into a functional student community space, funds will be used to re-paint and purchase basic office items – chairs, desks, bookshelves, couches that will make the space comfortable and welcoming. The UC Irvine Chemistry Department is committed to matching the raised funds up to $3,000 and coordinating all the renovation work!
Please help us achieve our goal and make Chem Corner the best new study space on campus!
Want to Learn More, or Contribute in Other Ways?
We want to hear from you! Contact Professor Sergey Nizkorodov at nizkorod@uci.edu.
$10
Helium level
The power of chemistry is in large quantities! Although a single helium atom cannot do much, many atoms together make a big difference. Recall the ideal gas law: P = n*RT/V!
$25
Neon level
Help the new lounge shine as brightly as neon lights guiding students in their pursuit of knowledge!
$50
Argon level
Argon is called "lazy" because its name comes from the Greek word argos, meaning "inactive" or "idle," but thanks to your support, our students will have a space to be active and productive! Thank you for helping cover the cost of a basic chair for the new lounge - because even busy students need a place to rest!
$100
Krypton level
Among other things, Krypton is used in energy-efficient lighting. Thank you for supporting the new study lounge and helping our students shine as brightly as possible!
$250
Xenon level
A gift of $250 will help cover the cost of a basic writing desk - so students will have a good place to draw complicated Lewis structures of Xe-containing compounds between classes!
$500
Radon level
Your generous gift will help make it possible to purchase a bookshelf for Chem Corner. We can't wait to fill it with books and memorabilia highlighting the brilliant history of the Chemistry Department, including the fact that was built on top of a nuclear reactor to study radio nuclei like Radon.
$1,000
Oganesson level
Every $1,000 will help enable us to sponsor a graduate student to conduct regular assessments of the programming offered through the Chemistry Club at UC Irvine to ensure our interventions are evidence-based and impactful.
