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Current issue: Spring 2024

Your career milestones are an inspiration to current and future WWU students. Find (and share) news about WWU alumni in the news.

Sophisticated chemistry

Chemistry department purchases new advanced equipment

Walla Walla University’s Department of Chemistry recently purchased a liquid chromatograph/mass spectrometer (LCMS) from Advion, Inc. using WWU funding which will allow students to more efficiently run chemical analyses.

In basic terms, the new instrument separates materials in a solution by directing their flow through a tube that inhibits the movement of molecules at different rates. As the separated components exit the column, they are directed into the mass spectrometer which electrocutes and analyzes the size of the fragments. The results provide important information on the chemical structures. The instrument’s flexibility and ease of operation will make it favorable to previous methods used in the laboratory. 

The purchase supplements the education of chemistry students by providing an additional and more sophisticated means for analyzing synthetic compounds, developing procedures for identifying compounds, and conducting chemical analysis. “Having a functional LCMS that students can see and handle will provide a more visual, kinesthetic learning experience,” said Melvin Roberts, professor of chemistry. 

Roberts also explained how the new instrument will support the curriculum in the chemistry program. Chromatography techniques are pervasive throughout chemistry and mass spectroscopy is a topic in several of the program’s lecture courses. He says the LCMS system will increase students’ options for learning and research.

The new equipment was funded through multiple sources including the chemistry equipment fund, the donor restricted funds for chemistry, and the unrestricted WWU Fund. The unrestricted WWU Fund supports the university’s most vital objectives by funding student scholarships, academic programming, and facility improvements. The WWU Advancement team encourages unrestricted gifts through the WWU Fund as a way to support classroom upgrades with new technology like this, and to support students in other ways such as through merit scholarships. 

Learn how you can help by contacting Troy Patzer, associate vice president for alumni and advancement services, at troy.patzer@wallawalla.edu or by visiting the WWU Fund web page.

Posted May 24, 2023
 

Students in laboratory

12 ways to support your alma mater:

  1. Ask your employer to match a gift or talk to us about setting up a matching gift program where you work.
  2. Keep your contact information current with our office by submitting a Class Member Profile form so we know what you’ve been up to since your time at WWC/WWU.
  3. Add Walla Walla University in your estate plan.
  4. Send us the names of high school students you know who may be interested in quality Christian education.
  5. Nominate a fellow alumnus for Alumni of the Year.
  6. Share internship opportunities available at your company with our Student Development Center.
  7. Volunteer to talk with students interested in your company or industry.
  8. Come to WWU for homecoming weekend.
  9. Attend alumni events in your area.
  10. Display a WWU license plate holder and/or sticker on your car.
  11. Stay connected with faculty and staff you learned from at WWU. Some alumni even get involved with academic departments doing classroom presentations, seminars, panels, mock interviews, and more.
  12. Attend a Wolves game when WWU athletic teams play on the road near your home.