Synthesizing Blattellaquinone, its Derivatives, and Subsequent Testing as a Means of Interdisciplinary Teaching

Abstract

It is our hope that in creating an experiment-­‐based, interdisciplinary lab, students will gain experience making connections between two fields of science. In our study, we have focused on organic chemistry and animal behavior. The kind of relationship this interaction would best model would be between the synthetic lab making pharmaceuticals and the biological lab evaluating them. Such an experience ought to make a student more prepared for graduate school, or the workforce, where diverse topics often inter-­‐rely on one another.