Analytical Chemistry Certificate Boosts Career Opportunities for Recent Alumni – UToledo News

Report on the University of Toledo’s Analytical Chemistry Certificate and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

This report analyzes the impact of the University of Toledo’s Analytical Chemistry Certificate program on graduate employability and its direct alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program equips students with specialized skills that are critical for advancing key SDGs, including Quality Education (SDG 4), Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG 8), and Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (SDG 9).

Program Framework and Alignment with SDG 4: Quality Education

The certificate program exemplifies SDG 4 by providing inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities. It offers focused, practical training that prepares students for high-demand roles in the chemical industry.

Certificate Structure

• A 12-credit hour stackable credential.
• Incorporates classroom and laboratory courses.
• Core subjects include analytical chemistry and instrumental analysis.
• Specialized options include separation methods, electrochemistry, or mass spectrometry.
• Compatible with undergraduate programs such as biochemistry, bioengineering, chemistry, and chemical engineering.

Fostering Specialized Skills for Sustainable Development

The curriculum is designed to provide advanced theoretical knowledge and practical laboratory skills. This targeted educational approach ensures graduates are well-prepared to address complex challenges in environmental monitoring, industrial quality control, and scientific research, thereby contributing to a skilled workforce capable of driving sustainable innovation.

Direct Contributions to Key Sustainable Development Goals

Graduates of the program are actively contributing to several SDGs through their professional roles.

SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) & SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities)

Analytical chemistry is fundamental to ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water. Graduate Ximena Fernandez-Paucar, now a gas chromatography analyst at Eurofins Scientific, specializes in the environmental analysis of water and solid samples. This work directly supports SDG 6 by monitoring water quality and identifying pollutants, a critical function for public health and environmental protection.

SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) & SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production)

The program’s alumni have secured positions that bolster industrial innovation and promote sustainable production patterns. Their roles involve precise material analysis, which is essential for quality control, product development, and safety.

• Paige Wlodkowski: Analytical Chemist at American Glass Research, contributing to industrial quality control.
• Mary Eby: Project Chemist at American Colors, Inc., involved in product development and analysis.
• Michael Ferguson: R&D Chemist at Betco Corporation, working on innovative and safe chemical products.
• Alex Dumminger: Laboratory Technician at Canberra Corporation, supporting manufacturing and quality assurance.

Impact on Graduate Employability and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

The certificate has proven to be a significant factor in promoting full and productive employment for its graduates, directly supporting the objectives of SDG 8.

Enhanced Career Outcomes

1. Competitive Advantage: Graduates report that the certificate was a key discussion point in interviews and a deciding factor in hiring decisions, as noted by Paige Wlodkowski.
2. Rapid Onboarding and Proficiency: The hands-on experience with instrumentation allowed graduates like Ximena Fernandez-Paucar to achieve job proficiency quickly.
3. Accelerated Career Advancement: Familiarity with advanced analytical techniques has enabled graduates to cross-train in different departments, leading to rapid promotions and salary increases.

The Role of Undergraduate Research

Opportunities for undergraduate research further enhance student learning, applying coursework to real-world problems. According to Dr. Jon Kirchhoff, these experiences develop critical thinking and advanced analytical knowledge, making graduates more valuable contributors to the workforce and the broader economy.

SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues

Detailed Explanation

The article discusses issues and outcomes that are directly relevant to several Sustainable Development Goals. The analysis identifies the following SDGs as being connected to the content:

• SDG 4: Quality Education: The entire article focuses on a new “analytical chemistry certificate” program at the University of Toledo. It describes the program’s curriculum, which provides “focused training in the theory and practical laboratory skills,” and highlights how this specialized education enhances students’ knowledge and skills for the job market.
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: A primary theme is the direct link between the educational certificate and successful employment outcomes. The article repeatedly emphasizes how the program helps graduates “quickly obtain employment in the chemical industry,” differentiate their resumes, and secure positions, as exemplified by the stories of Paige Wlodkowski and Ximena Fernandez-Paucar.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The skills taught in the program support industrial applications and innovation. The article mentions graduates working in roles like “R&D Chemist” and “project chemist,” which contribute to product development and scientific research within the chemical industry. The program itself is an innovation in education designed to meet industrial demand for skilled analytical chemists.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: The article explicitly mentions that analytical chemistry has applications in environmental science. One graduate, Ximena Fernandez-Paucar, works as a gas chromatography analyst specializing in the “environmental analysis of water and solid samples,” which is a critical function for monitoring and maintaining water quality.
• SDG 5: Gender Equality: Although not the main focus, the article prominently features the success of several female graduates (Paige Wlodkowski, Ximena Fernandez-Paucar, Mary Eby) in the STEM field of chemistry. This implicitly supports the goal of promoting women’s participation and success in scientific and technical fields.

Specific Targets Under Identified SDGs

Detailed Explanation

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship. The analytical chemistry certificate is a “stackable credential” designed to provide “practical laboratory skills” and “advanced coursework” that directly lead to employment. The success of the graduates in securing jobs demonstrates the program’s effectiveness in providing these relevant skills.
2. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value. The article highlights that graduates are having success in “quickly obtain[ing] employment” and that the certificate contributed to one graduate being “chosen over other candidates for my current position.” Another graduate earned a raise in less than a year, suggesting progress towards productive employment and fair compensation.
3. Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. The program directly addresses this by providing recent university graduates with specialized training that makes them highly employable, thus reducing the likelihood of them being unemployed after completing their education.
4. Target 6.3: By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution… The skills acquired through the program are directly applicable to this target. The role of Ximena Fernandez-Paucar, who specializes in the “environmental analysis of water and solid samples,” is essential for monitoring pollutants and ensuring water safety, which is a prerequisite for improving water quality.
5. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers… The program fosters these goals by offering “undergraduate research projects” and preparing students for roles such as the “R&D Chemist” position held by Michael Ferguson. This directly contributes to the pool of skilled R&D workers for the chemical industry.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Detailed Explanation

The article does not mention official SDG indicators but implies several metrics that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• For Target 4.4 (Relevant Skills):
  • Proportion of students obtaining a vocational/technical certificate: The article is centered on students who “complete the certificate program.” The number of graduates with this certificate is a direct indicator.
  • Employment rate of graduates: The text states, “The success students are having to quickly obtain employment in the chemical industry strongly supports the value of the certificate.” This employment rate is a key implied indicator of the program’s success.
• For Target 8.5/8.6 (Youth Employment):
  • Proportion of graduates employed in their field of study: The article lists five graduates and their specific jobs (analytical chemist, gas chromatography analyst, project chemist, R&D Chemist, laboratory technician), indicating a high rate of employment within the chemistry field.
• For Target 6.3 (Water Quality):
  • Number of skilled professionals in water quality analysis: The program produces graduates like Ximena Fernandez-Paucar, who is a “gas chromatography analyst specializing in the environmental analysis of water.” The number of such graduates is an indicator of a country’s capacity to monitor water quality.
• For Target 9.5 (R&D and Innovation):
  • Number of graduates employed in R&D positions: The article mentions Michael Ferguson, who “now works as an R&D Chemist,” providing a concrete example of the program contributing to the R&D workforce.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: news.utoledo.edu