Many students walk into a general chemistry classroom with a less‑than‑positive attitude. They expect to memorize formulas, solve math problems, and learn concepts that feel disconnected from their lives, their majors, and their future careers. It’s not just students; the general population sees chemistry as distant from everyday life. But is it really?
Part of this disconnect may come from students’ first experiences with chemistry in high school, or from the way we’ve taught general chemistry for more than a century. On the other hand, because chemistry is required for many science‑related graduate programs, we often feel pressured to cover a huge amount of content in a very short time. But when it comes to general education chemistry courses, do we really need to teach them the same way?
As a chemistry educator and someone who enjoys science outreach, one of my goals is to challenge this perception. Rather than presenting chemistry as a collection of facts, I try to explore the field of chemistry with my students through their eyes, based on their majors and interests.
At McPherson College, I teach two general education courses: Principles of Chemistry, and GOB Chemistry for Life. The former focuses on everyday chemistry through the lens of green chemistry and sustainability, while the latter examines how chemistry is used in relation to human health. Both courses use the concept of systems thinking to connect chemistry to each student’s future career goal or their major. I believe understanding relevance is the strongest motivator for learning. The more students recognize chemistry in their own experiences and majors, the more engaged and successful they become.
For example, one way I emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of chemistry is through the topic Periodic Table. We begin the lecture with a brief discussion of how elements are placed on the periodic table then move on to rare elements. Then the discussion shifts to cell phones and modern electronic devices. We identify that about 30 to 60 elements from the periodic table are used to make modern electronics, and among them are rare elements. In the next class period, students are divided into groups based on their majors for a guided activity: they spend 15 to 20 minutes researching a topic tailored to their majors in a group and give a five-minute presentation to the class.
This semester’s topics were: Rare Elements and Stock Market Trends and Rare Elements and International Relations for business majors, Rare Elements and Communication Technology for art/design/ communication majors, Rare Elements and Healthcare Industry for health science/sports studies majors, Rare Elements and AR Technology for automotive restoration majors, and Rare Elements and the Environment for environmental sustainability and education majors.
Through this seemingly simple class activity, the whole class learns not only the relationship between chemistry and their majors, but also about how geopolitics operate — whether investing in rare elements is wise in the long run, the environmental impacts of rare element mining, issues of child labor and corruption and how rare elements are used in medical imaging and more. The beauty of chemistry, as it truly earns its title, the Central Science, is that it connects to our lives in countless ways if we take the time to understand its importance.
Another topic I enjoy discussing in these courses is how chemistry plays an essential role in consumer decision-making. Advertisers often use terms like ‘chemical-free,’ and ‘natural,’ or ‘organic’ without scientific context. We learn how to critically evaluate these claims for their validity using evidence and chemical principles.
To further strengthen these connections, I incorporate a class project that requires students to investigate the role of chemistry in a specific topic of their choosing. The topic can relate to their majors, hobbies, or personal interests. Students have selected topics ranging from sports nutrition and cosmetics to renewable energy, fuels, and tire manufacturing. These projects allow students to become active participants in their learning rather than passive recipients of information. Often, students discover chemistry in action in places they never expected, and more importantly, they begin to see chemistry as a practical tool for understanding the world around them.
Chemistry is everywhere: everything that we hear, see, smell, taste, and touch involves matter and chemical interactions. Contrary to the popular belief, chemistry is not confined to laboratories and research facilities. It is present in every meal we eat, every medicine we take, every device we use, every cosmetic, cleaning product, clothing item, paint, batteries, plastics, and pet food we purchase, and every environmental issue we face. Chemistry is truly all around us, and understanding this connection helps us better understand our world. My goal is to help students see these connections and become informed citizens who make better, educated decisions in their adult lives.
