REU Site: Undergraduate Research in Fluorine Chemistry

University Of South Dakota Main Campus, Vermillion SD

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to the University of South Dakota (USD), located in Vermillion, SD, supports the training of 6 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2018-2020. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF Chemistry Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program. This research program is in USD's Department of Chemistry and provides students with research opportunities in different aspects of fluorine chemistry. Students participate in workshops covering safety issues that are particular to fluorine chemistry, as well as in workshops on analytical chemistry that relate to the characterization of halogen-containing substances. In addition to research activities, the students take part in weekly meetings to discuss scientific issues related to fluorine chemistry, the process of commercialization, and graduate school opportunities. Communication of research results, both during and following the research experience, is also emphasized. The University of South Dakota is well situated geographically to serve both Native American and small primarily undergraduate institution student populations. Student research projects are integrated into the existing Center for Fluorinated Functional Materials (CFFM), a state-funded research center in the Department of Chemistry at USD. Fluorine chemistry is increasingly vital in the pharmaceutical industry and in materials science applications, particularly in the fields of renewable energy and battery technology. Faculty in the USD Department of Chemistry offer a diverse array of research projects related to fluorine chemistry including the synthesis of fluorinated monomers used in luminescence sensors and electronic devices; inorganic doped lanthanum fluoride upconversion nanoparticles for forensic applications; electrochemical deposition of fluorine monomers for battery technology; fluorine-carbon bond activation and catalysis; analytical surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy detection of agrochemicals; and computational fluorine chemistry. Students benefit from meeting weekly as a group to discuss the different opportunities, applications and hazards of fluorine chemistry. Students also meet with recognized leaders in the field who are current members of the CFFM advisory board. This REU site represents a unique opportunity to train a future workforce in the theoretical and practical aspects of fluorine chemistry. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.