REU Site: Chemistry at California State University, Fullerton

Csu Fullerton Auxiliary Services Corporation, Fullerton CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award from the Chemistry Division supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at California State University-Fullerton (CSUF) for the summers of 2007-2009. Maria C. Linder and Mark S. Filowitz provide the leadership for this site. Ten students will benefit from intensive, ten-week summer research experiences by working directly with faculty members on a broad range of experimental projects in chemistry and biochemistry. The program recruits students from local and national colleges, including community colleges and CSUF, and from underrepresented groups. CSUF, a Hispanic institution, has one of the most diverse student bodies in the United States. Weekly workshops on scientific writing, statistics, experimental design, ethics and selecting graduate programs are incorporated into the program. Ethical and environmental issues are presented and discussed by the students in seminars and panel discussions. At the end of the summer, each student makes an oral and a poster presentation of his/her work, and prepares a scientific report written in journal style. The program will be evaluated using a variety of instruments, including both short and long-term student surveys.