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This investigation sought to elucidate the influence of students' academic legacy on their prior knowledge and course outcomes providing crucial insights for educators who teach general chemistry. This six-semester analysis involved 6,914 students enrolled in classes across nine Texas universities. Explored were personal circumstances associated with students' successes and failures that influenced performance in on- and off-sequence, first- and second-semester general chemistry (Chem 1 and Chem 2). Students' academic legacy based on their categorization as first generation (neither grandparent nor parent/guardian with a 4-year bachelor's degree), second generation (at least one grandparent or parent/guardian with a bachelor's degree), or third generation (at least one grandparent and at least one parent/guardian hold a bachelor's degree) was investigated. Of the students in the dataset 33.8% (n = 2,340) self-identified as Hispanic. Results for Hispanic and non-Hispanic students indicated that first-generation students struggled more with Chem 1 and Chem 2 than students in the other two legacy groups. As students' academic legacy extended, they were more apt to succeed in general chemistry. Second- and third-generation students demonstrated stronger prior high-school chemistry backgrounds and were enrolled in more advanced mathematics courses. As expected, students with stronger academic backgrounds in chemistry and mathematics scored higher on the diagnostic MUST (Math-Up Skills Test), had greater self-efficacy relative to their preparation to succeed, and reported fewer paid work hours. First-generation students on the average entered with lower diagnostic MUST scores, felt less prepared to succeed, and disclosed a greater need to be employed.

Integrating theoretical concepts into practical applications is crucial, especially in specialized fields like art conservation science. Bridging this gap between chemistry pedagogy and practical application is essential in developing students' skills in applicable contexts. This article aims to introduce a novel pedagogical methodology for enhancing learning in chemistry. This strategic assignment focuses on conserving cultural heritage artifacts, emphasizing the practical application of chemistry concepts. The article seeks to explore the potential benefits of this approach and provide insights into how to implement such assignments in general chemistry courses. The assignment requires students to select and analyze artwork of cultural significance while applying central chemistry concepts from the course curriculum to the conservation process. The students will then prepare written reports following a pre-established template. The student reports will serve as a valuable educational resource for future students. This approach creates a conducive environment for immersive learning by showcasing the practical application of course concepts within art conservation science. From the assignment, students demonstrated a nuanced understanding of chemistry's integral role in preserving cultural heritage, acknowledging the interplay between environmental conditions, material properties, and their impact on artifact longevity. They appreciated the necessity of chemical analysis in determining artifact composition, guiding the development of tailored conservation methodologies. Notably, students recognized the value of these preservation efforts in maintaining historical authenticity, serving as educational tools, and bolstering cultural pride.

Cleaning painted surfaces of their grime, aged varnishes, and discolored overpaint is one of the most common interventive treatments for art conservators. Carefully concocted solvent mixtures navigate the solubility differences between the material removed and the original paint underneath. However, these solutions may be altered by differential evaporation rates of the component solvents (zeotropic behavior), potentially leading to ineffectively weak cleaning or conversely overly strong residual liquid capable of damaging the underlying paint. Azeotropic solvent blends, which maintain a constant composition during evaporation, offer a promising solution. These blends consist of two or more solvents combined at precise concentrations to function as a single solvent. Additionally, pressure-maximum azeotropes feature higher vapor pressure compared to other mixtures, further minimizing contact time and sorption of the solvents into artworks. This study examines azeotropes of isopropanol with n-hexane and 2-butanone in cyclohexane, which have been used previously in art conservation. The evaporation behavior at room temperature of these boiling point azeotropes was assessed using vapor pressure measurements, refractive index determinations, gravimetric analysis, and gas chromatography. Results showed changes in composition during evaporation and found that the actual room temperature azeotropic composition can vary between 1 and 10% v/v in concentration with those commonly reported at their boiling points. Art conservators should be cautious when using azeotropic blends reported at boiling points significantly higher than room temperature. To ensure the safety and efficacy of these mixtures, it is recommended to determine individual azeotropic cleaning blends experimentally before their use.

The Networking for Science Advancement (NSA) team's institutions consist of nine universities located in one large southwestern US state. This study evaluated students enrolled from Spring 2017 to Fall 2019 in firstand second-semester general chemistry. Over 90% of the students (n = 6,694) have been exposed to a secondary school isomorphic curriculum. The population studied, Chem I (n = 4,619) and Chem II (n = 2,075), met entry-level criteria and are therefore expected to succeed (i.e., earn grades of A, B or C). This study's focus is to disaggregate data based on binary gender (M/F) in hopes of revealing patterns that might remain hidden when studying an undivided population. In Chem I, the female population was 59.6% and increased to 64.5% for Chem II. The 15- min., diagnostic Math-Up Skills Test’s (MUST) scores identified about half of all students who were unsuccessful (grades of D and F). Results from the study support that males enter Chem I and II with better automaticity skills (what can be done without using a calculator) than females. However, females outperformed males on course averages in Chem I but not Chem II. Our data provide supporting evidence that the gender gap may be closing.