The Department of Chemistry and Physics is located centrally on the Gallaudet University campus and is housed on the fourth floor of Hall Memorial Building. Students, faculty, and staff have access to world-class facilities both for teaching and research.
It is the mission of the Department of Chemistry and Physics to provide learning experiences based on the best educational practices for all students served by the department. For science majors (chemistry and biology), it is our intention to provide a comprehensive knowledge of the field of chemistry and/or physics while taking their chemistry and/or physics courses. This comprehensive knowledge is defined as: a knowledge of course content, awareness of field specialties, awareness of work requirements, a respect for ethnic and gender diversity in the workplace, interaction with the scientific community through internships and invited interactions with professionals in the field, and competitive skills in computers, laboratory techniques, and literacy. We strive for clear communication among students, faculty and staff. Further, it is our mission to prepare students to conduct research and to become deaf role models in their fields. For those students that are not science majors, it is our mission to provide exposure to the process of doing science and a broad knowledge of the field of chemistry and/or physics and the applications of these sciences to everyday life.
In defining our vision, we wanted to demonstrate that we were a part of a cooperative effort throughout the university to fully prepare each student for "real world" experiences - not just skill acquisition. This means we also reinforce areas which may or may not be obviously associated with courses in the sciences. To incorporate these efforts into our vision statement, it was necessary to divide our vision into categories. Not only do these support the University's vision statement, they are in line with the philosophies of the multi-disciplinary workplace, the trend in chemical education and the expectations of the world. The following are our vision statements:
Scientific Vision: We envision our students becoming skilled and competent in:
- the basic four disciplines of chemistry,
- Inorganic chemistry
- Organic chemistry
- Analytical chemistry
- Physical chemistry
- Physics
- Mathematics
- (for our majors) one additional area or career-oriented course of chemistry.
- Biochemistry
- Forensic Chemistry
- Environmental Chemistry
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry
Academic vision: We envision our students becoming academically well rounded. We expect our students to be capable of expressing their knowledge of a variety of topics in a clear and concise manner. Additionally, we expect the students to be able to relate acquired knowledge to previous courses, their lives, and the world around them.
Intellectual vision: We envision our students continually increasing their intellect and critical thinking capabilities through academic challenges, life experiences and personal contemplation. We encourage the following in order to achieve this vision: attendance at conferences, internships and research experiences, seminars, challenging courses, and reading/reflecting on current scientific literature.
Professional vision: We envision our students becoming marketable and capable professionals. Students will, therefore, be skilled in the characteristics leading to employment as well as those expected during employment. These include, but are not limited to: interview skills, resume writing skills, preparation for admission to graduate programs, internship opportunities, pre-internship training, professional ethics and time management skills.
Communication and Literacy vision : We envision our students as literate in their fields. This includes the ability to read and understand scientific literature, the ability to write reports and/or submissions to journals in a clear manner, the ability to give presentations, and the ability to communicate with individuals and groups with diverse positions, communication styles, and backgrounds.
Technology vision: We envision our students as capable users of technology. This includes but is not limited to the ability to use: word-processing, spreadsheets, statistical analysis, presentation software, web-browsers, and databases.
Societal vision: We envision our students as knowledgeable, productive, successful members of society who respect diversity. This vision includes elements of community service, citizenship, respect for the environment, tolerance of others, awareness of humane, legal and corporate standards, the incorporation of safety considerations in their field and their lives, and the awareness on economic impact of their activities.
Personal vision: We envision our students as confident individuals who continually seek self growth. Students will be able to work in teams or alone with confidence, flexibility and strength. The students will reflect upon and re-direct themselves as the world around them changes.
