REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Chemistry at Kansas State University

Kansas State University, Manhattan KS

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Kansas State University, located in Manhattan, KS, supports the training of 10 undergraduate students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2019-2021. This program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, engages participants in chemistry research projects. These research projects have applications in national security related to health and energy. Participants also receive individual faculty mentorship through the research experience. In addition to conducting research during the summer, the undergraduate students take part in a number of professional development activities including seminars introducing participants to research, laboratory safety, scientific presentations, and the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Through this program, participants engage in the scientific research process and are prepared for graduate school and careers in the chemical sciences. The research projects conducted by the undergraduate researchers are in diverse areas of chemistry, impacting national biosecurity. The projects include the development of diagnostic devices for the detection of diseases and disease organisms, the synthesis of a variety of molecules with potential impact on human health, and the development of inexpensive renewable energy and energy storage devices and catalysts. This site recruits participants nationwide, with a particular focus on students in the Midwest and students from community colleges and institutions with limited research opportunities. In addition to the research experience, the diverse group of undergraduates partake in a seminar series and networking social functions that serve to prepare them for graduate school and careers in STEM. 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.