UCF Gains Chemistry through Skype-Casting

On Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, Romain Gaume, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Optics and Phototonics at UCF, gave a lecture on the science and art of glass that was presented in person to UCF chemistry students and simultaneously Skype-cast to over 40 of their peers at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida.

The following Saturday students from both institutions met in Winter Park, Florida to tour the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. During the tour, they networked and viewed America’s most complete collection of glass-art by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The technical lecture was presented as part of a graduate-level course on the Chemistry of Materials (CHM 6711) led by Stephen M. Kuebler, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Chemistry and Optics at UCF. While the lecture was held in a UCF classroom, student-members of the American Chemical Society at Florida Southern watched the presentation and posed questions from miles away in real time via Skype and instant messaging.

Dr. Kuebler said ,”We wanted the students to learn about glass science, how it is used to make technologically important devices, like fiber optics, and how these same scientific concepts are central to artistic processes that have been used to make some of the most beautiful treasures we have, right here in Central Florida.”

The combined event enabled students to connect professionally and to become aware of opportunities for advanced study at UCF.  Coordination of the event at Florida Southern was led by Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Jarrod Eubank, Ph.D.