REU Site: Chemistry Research at Georgetown University

Georgetown University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This renewal award by the Chemistry Division supports the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at Georgetown University for the summers of 2009-2011. The program co-directors are Sarah Stoll and Jennifer Swift. Each year eight students recruited from across the country, but with a focus on the Mid-Atlantic region, will have an opportunity to work on well-defined research projects in all the major areas of chemistry. The program will target first generation college students, with special consideration for those who may not already have participated in research. The interests and experience of the student participants will be matched with the individual research groups in the department. Participants will have access to all of the modern equipment available and will acquire skills in designing and conducting experimental work and analyzing scientific data. They will also participate in a series of weekly career development workshops covering oral and written communication skills, ethics, resume writing and science careers, and the graduate school selection and application processes. Social events afford the opportunity for enhanced student-student and student-faculty exchange while local field trips will provide exposure to scientists at non-academic settings. The program concludes with a poster session in which the REU participants and all other summer undergraduate researchers in the department present their results.