REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Environmental, Materials, and Biological Chemistry

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

The Chemistry Department at the University of Minnesota will be running an NSF-REU program for ten undergraduate students from around the country in environmental, materials, or biological chemistry during the summers of 2009- 2011. Participants will gain a cutting edge research experience at a major research University at the forefront of chemistry in highly interdisciplinary areas. This broad research exposure will be supplemented with short classes, hands on training with high tech instruments, and visits to local government and industrial laboratories. Students will also be able to participate in the Chemists-in-the-library program, where hands-on experiments are carried out by 40-70 children at a time in local community libraries. Participants will be selected by advertising nationally and sophomores, under-represented minority groups, and 1 or 2 late bloomers who ordinarily would not get such an opportunity will be targeted. This will maximize the impact of our program and lead to the development of new scientists who pursue careers in the chemical sciences that otherwise would have picked different career pathways.