This work presents a transformative, research-inspired laboratory module that redefines undergraduate chemistry education through a semester-long project addressing real-world environmental challenges. Unlike traditional fragmented curricula, our module engages students in the full research cycle by integrating five interdisciplinary domains─synthesis and surface chemistry; fluorescence and aggregation-induced emission (AIE) sensing; quantitative calibration and statistics; environmental and toxicity interpretation; and conceptual computational extension. Students collaboratively design and execute experiments, analyze data, and interpret findings, with advanced characterizations (FTIR, TEM, XPS, DFT) and biological assays supported by technical staff to ensure both accessibility and scientific rigor. This authentic, inquiry-based framework fosters sustained engagement, teamwork, and ownership, leading to significant gains in scientific curiosity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. By embedding explicit interdisciplinary training and societal relevance within an integrated laboratory experience, this module offers a scalable and innovative model for cultivating scientific literacy, innovation, and social responsibility in chemistry education.
Li et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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