Laboratory Robotics Instruction for Undergraduates at Montclair State University
Kevin K. Olsen · JALA Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation · 2009
Students in the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at Montclair state University have several opportunities to learn about laboratory robotics. A unit on robotics is included in the senior level instrumental analysis class at the end of the spring semester. Students are also able to receive individual instruction on the robotic systems and high-school students have developed automated procedures during summer enrichment programs. An important component of the program is the competition setup between the men and women students of the instrumental analysis class. This keeps student attention focused on the exercises without the need to assign homework. This short article describes the equipment used by the department, provides an overview of how it is used, and contains informal observations made by the author about the student experience.