REU Site: Research Experiences of Undergraduates in Chemistry

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

The National Research Council, Department of Education, and National Science Foundation have all identified training in chemistry as an area of national concern. According to the American Chemistry Council, the nation?s chemical industry is responsible for more than 880,000 American jobs, makes 37 million American jobs possible (27% of all U.S. employment), and is among the nation?s largest exporters (10% of all exports). In keeping with the nation?s interests in creating a highly trained workforce that reflects the growing diversity of the U.S. population, the NSF REU program in Chemistry and Biochemistry at the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) will enroll visiting undergraduate students in an immersive summer research experience and thereby equip them with tools and encouragement to embark on graduate studies in the laboratory sciences. The program will build on previous successes in enrolling substantial numbers of women and underrepresented minority students. Each summer (2009-2011), ten undergraduate participants will work with a faculty advisor and their research group on a significant research problem. The program also includes team-building activities, regular group meetings, a seminar/workshop series on ethics, presentation skills, graduate opportunities, research frontiers, etc; two research symposia; and field trips to industrial and government laboratories. These provide a perspective of chemical research in a scholarly, entrepreneurial, economic, and ethical framework. Research initiatives in the School have attracted major funding from federal agencies and industry. The School?s research portfolio includes a broad set of initiatives (e.g., solar cells, biofuels, disease prevention) in areas which will contribute to the well-being of this nation and its people.