Learning objectives
The experimental thesis for the achievement of the Laurea Magistrale degree is formally divided into two parts/activities. These two activities are however strictly connected each to the other and the learning outcomes are common. The activities of Experimental thesis - Part A and - Part B, together with all the subjects of the study course, contribute to the achievement of the learning targets and practice connected to the profession of the chemist.
1. Knowledge and understanding. During the experimental thesis the knowledge acquired during the different subjects of the study course will be reinforced thanks to the laboratory practice and the daily comparison with a tutor and a research team.
In particular the student will acquire advanced knowledge on:
- modern synthetic strategies and methods for characterisation of compounds and materials;
- structure-property correlations of compounds and materials;
- main chemical processes of industry;
- main classes of industrial chemical products, formulations and ingredients;
- principles and technologies for the development and control of industrial chemical processes and of the statistical methods for their monitoring and optimization;
- on catalysis, cost-efficiency and sustainable technologies;
- the search of chemical information through the use of electronic data-banks;
- the scale-up of a chemical process.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding. The student will be able to:
- design organic syntheses by using catalytic processes and select the most useful techniques to monitor the process;
- manage and monitor an industrial process taking into account safety issues, cost-efficiency and process sustainability;
- design a material in function of the application needed;
- properly process and elaborate scientific data;
- understand the problems connected to his job, carry out a critical evaluation of a chemical problem and suggest specific solutions;
- find all the bibliographic and chemical information by using data-banks.
- use information technology to elaborate data.
3. Making judgements. The student will be able to:
- interpret experimental observations and to collect and interpret the data resulting from an industrial production;
- plan experimental activities evaluating the time, instrumentations and methods necessary;
- organise his job also in connection to that of a team;
- make judgements independently and evaluate his experimental results;
- evaluate the issues of a chemical process related to safety, products and materials;
- adapt his work and competences to different situation and problematics;
- find and evaluate the chemical information extracted from literature of data-banks;
- give opinions on important scientific and ethical issues.
4. Communication skills. The student will be able to:
- communicate on chemical/scientific problems/issues, in oral or written form, even with the use of multimedia systems and of the English language;
- carry out a discussion on the basis of an opinion autonomously elaborated and on issues related to his studies;
- interact with other people and to work in team even on multidisciplinary projects;
- carry out teaching and training activities with undergraduate students.
5. Learning skills. The student will be able to:
- easily find chemical information from literature, data-banks and the web;
- learn autonomously even tackling new scientific and professional problems;
- independently study solution to complex and even interdisciplinary problems, finding useful information and being able to defend his proposals and opinion in different contexts;
- critically analyse the results of an experimental investigation catching the information useful to optimize the process.