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About Wayne State
The Department of Chemistry at Wayne State University is dedicated to research, education, and outreach efforts that benefit Detroit, the State of Michigan and the world. They are committed to educating a diverse undergraduate and graduate student body, advancing chemical knowledge and positively impacting society. They actively promote a safe and ethical environment that is equitable and inclusive, so that students, staff and faculty may thrive and advance personally and professionally.
Problem
When Professor Matthew Allen took over as Chair of the Chemistry Department, one of his top priorities was to create an improved student lab coat program for use in the school’s laboratories. At that time, undergraduate chemistry students were required to purchase their own lab coat from the school bookstore. In addition to this responsibility, the students were expected to launder their own coats. The twin challenges of expecting students to remember to bring their personal coat and to make sure it was cleaned proved difficult, and often forgetful students were forced to ask for a temporary coat from the department. This was both inefficient and expensive, but the alternative of a student not wearing a coat in the lab was even more untenable. Another drawback to the old process was...