General Chemistry II Major topics include chemical kinetics, chemical equilibrium, acid-base equilibria, chemical thermodynamics, electrochemistry, descriptive inorganic chemistry, and coordination chemistry. Lab work includes inorganic synthesis, qualitative analysis, and quantitative analysis in kinetics, acid-base and redox chemistry.

Inorganic and Physical Chemistry Laboratory In this course students will carry out experiments in the field of inorganic and physical chemistry and write journal-style reports based on their results.  In the first half of the semester students will conduct a multi-step synthesis and characterization of a Mo-Mo complex with a quadruple bond.  Students will learn inert atmosphere synthetic techniques and how to use a glove box.  The synthesized Mo-Mo complex will be characterized by UV-Vis, IR, 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopies, and cyclic voltammetry.  In the second half of the semester students will conduct two physical chemistry experiments.  First students will carry out a kinetic study of the  isomerization of the  Mo-Mo (alpha to beta or beta to alpha) complex by UV-Vis spectroscopy.  Finally, students will obtain the high-resolution IR spectra of acetylene and deuterated acetylene and analyze the rotation-vibration spectra using statistical and quantum mechanics to obtain structural data and interpret the peak intensities.  In addition to the laboratory activities, there will be lectures on metal quadruple bonds, principles of UV-Vis , IR, 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry, and statistical mechanics.

Advanced General Chemistry This course is a one-semester alternative to one year of general chemistry (CHEM 0103 and CHEM 0104). It is open to all students who have received a 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement test in Chemistry. Students who have two or more years of high school chemistry without AP credit may enroll with permission of the instructor. Topics will be drawn from the traditional general chemistry curriculum, but discussed in greater detail with a more thorough mathematical treatment. Special emphasis will be placed on chemical bonding, coordination chemistry, and real world research in chemistry.

Instrumental Analysis In this course we will learn fundamental concepts of analytical chemistry, instrumental analysis, and scientific writing. Lecture topics include experimental design and quality control; sample collection and preparation; calibration, error, and data analysis; statistics; and the theory and operation of chemical instrumentation. Multi-week laboratory projects provide hands-on experience in qualitative and quantitative analysis using a variety of research-quality instrumentation (e.g., UV/Vis spectrophotometry, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Writing workshops promote professional scientific writing skills through guided practice in writing analysis, peer review, and revision. (CHEM 0204 or CHEM 0242) 3 hr. lect., 6 hrs. lab.

World of Chemistry Science and technology greatly contribute to our happy and long lives. The goal of this course is to learn how chemistry impacts our daily lives in common and extraordinary ways. After learning basic concepts of elements, atoms, and molecules, we will explore topics in energy (nuclear, solar, batteries, fuel cells, fossil fuels, and metabolism), environmental issues (acid rain, global warming, and ozone depletion), health (food and drug), synthetic material, and art (color, forgery detection, and art restoration).

AJ Vasiliou

Reviews and ratings for AJ Vasiliou at Middlebury College.AJ Vasiliou teaches General Chemistry II, Inorganic & Physical Chemistry, Advanced General Chemistry and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is AJ Vasiliou good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

This course covers the content of both CHEM 103 and 104 in a single semester, so it can understandably be quite intense. While the content moves very fast and can be difficult, AJ goes into great depth and chooses to incorporate cutting edge topics that are very fun to learn about.

I had to take this class for pre-med and overall good experience with AJ. She is kind and very approachable, and it is obvious that she wants everyone to succeed. Exams are fair, and she gave the opportunity to earn points back which was nice. 

AJ is a great professor who really wants to make sure you understand the material and will always answer all of your questions. The problem sets and in class examples prepare you well for the exams. The exams are very reasonable and she is an understanding grader.