I know that I always start my Chemistry classes by talking about the importance of learning the language of science and the language of chemistry.  I show my students how words like “prove” don’t mean the same thing in everyday parlance that they do in science and, of course, we get into chemical nomenclature with the IUPAC naming system.

This can be hard on students and I’m currently feeling their pain.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been in an analytical chemistry or organic chemistry course, and I’ve never taken biochemistry (it wasn’t offered when I was in school).  That’s pretty much what my project is on.  I’m enjoying learning, but thank goodness for the internet and for a team that’s willing to explain things to me (of course, many of the words they use in their explanations are specialized words too, so that doesn’t always clarify things!).

Still, I have to admit that I love the environment.  I will be starting on the actual experimentation on Sunday, June 29, but I’ve been doing quite a bit of research and a lot of brainstorming, and I’ve been a part of some really stimulating discussions.  Look forward to getting into it more!