CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Dr. Leslie Hiatt’s Quantitative Analysis class finished their lab final last week at Austin Peay State University, completing a series of experiments and puzzles to uncover a copper thief within their own department in a special escape game challenge.
Hiatt’s lab final presents students with a fictional scenario, someone is stealing copper equipment from the APSU labs, smuggling it out in chocolate syrup bottles. In order to pass lab must complete a variety of experiments to find clues and identify the thief.
The teams began by finding the concentration of copper in each bottle, upon completion of which they were given 3 locked suitcases filled with a series of puzzles. These clues led them to a lab safe containing the name of the infamous “Copper Crook.”
Hiatt said she got the idea for an escape game final after trying one herself. The challenge makes class and its lessons more memorable.
“I wanted students to focus not just on going to lab, checking the box and leaving,” Hiatt said. “At the end of everything, they’re asking themselves what might matter for the escape game, which is what will matter for the workforce.”
Many students seem to agree with Hiatt, noting that the final was one of their favorite classroom experiences.
“It was the most fun I’ve had in any of my classes.” said chemistry student Sarah Cornelius. “It cemented in a lot of the concepts, but it was a lot of fun to turn it into a game instead of something you don’t want to do.”
It took the students 3 weeks to complete the challenge and identify this year’s crook, Dr. Lisa Sullivan, who presented them with their “I escaped Quant” stickers.
Angela Peterson contributed to this article.