Three-Part Approach to Remote/Residential Organic Chemistry Lab during the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the Spring 2021 Organic Chemistry Lab class at Penn State Schuylkill, COVID-19 restrictions and uncertainty required a flexible plan. The first 4 weeks of 15 were fully remote, and videos of standard organic techniques were used, followed by an exam. In the next 5 weeks, some students were in the lab and some were remote. A document camera was used to show one of the in-class students carrying out reaction experiments, mistakes and all, and this was broadcast to the remote students. In the final 6 weeks, the in-class students did a research project, report, and short presentation. The remote students were given a new literature project in which they were each assigned a process research chemistry paper from Organic Process Research and Development. They gave a longer presentation on the process used to prepare a drug. All three parts of the course are discussed in this paper.