IRES: Preparing U.S. Undergraduates for Global Chemistry Research with Training in Germany and Singapore

American Chemical Society (Acs), Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This project is jointly funded by OISE and MPS (DMR and OMA). Undergraduate chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science students face grueling curriculum requirements that hinder or prohibit participation in valuable study abroad experiences. Participating in this International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program, selected students will have the opportunity to sharpen their research skills in an unfamiliar environment while developing the capacity to work effectively across cultures. Significant literature has demonstrated the important role that international education experiences play in strengthening the professional skill set of the workforce, especially STEM practitioners. Building opportunities for STEM students (especially those of underrepresented backgrounds) to engage in a unique research experience, without disrupting their curriculum calendars, allows the IRES participant to build cross-cultural communication skills, build a global network, be exposed to new perspectives and techniques and a refreshed knowledge base. As global scientific research collaboration increases, the American Chemical Society IRES program will help prepare students for a global research career which boosts competitiveness among the U.S. chemical workforce, instills an interest in expanding his/her perspective and apply local solutions to global challenges. ACS will select seven (7) qualified, diverse U.S. undergraduates to spend time in Germany (in partnership with the German Academic Exchange Service-DAAD) and three (3) at the National University of Singapore (NUS). While fostering intellectual growth and maturity, the IRES experience is intended to catalyze students' desire to continue their graduate studies; deliver a substantial research experience; produce excellent scientific publications; instill a respect for other cultures and science professionalism; and provide an appreciation for the global scientific enterprise. On a reciprocal basis, ACS will work to place students from Germany and Singapore, at no cost to the hosting university or funding agency, in existing IRES/IREU programs in the United States. This model also brings a global perspective and network to domestic programs and allows those participants to learn from their colleagues from other parts of the globe. This IRES program will prepare selected U.S. undergraduate students for advanced training in chemistry and materials sciences labs at advanced institutes in Germany and Singapore. Building upon a previous IRES program (2007-2016), this program prepares students to engage in chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science research in cross-cultural context. Students selected for the ACS IRES program will receive training in professional topics such as manuscript publishing, ethics in research, cross-cultural communication, science communication, collaboration and more. The research experience, coupled with professional skills training in an international context will increase the global competitiveness of future chemistry practitioners. During the research experience, seven students participating in the IRES program in Germany will be placed in leading research labs through the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Three students will be placed in labs in the National University of Singapore. Students will work with graduate students to contribute to research projects, many resulting in publication or attribution in a leading journal. Throughout the research experience, IRES students have regular check-in sessions with ACS staff, including a PI visit. Students are expected to complete a research report on their experience in the style of a Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) manuscript (with feedback provided by editors) and present their research findings (via oral presentation and abstract) and experience at the spring ACS National Meeting. Selected IRES students come from a diverse background and significant effort will be placed into recruiting participants from underrepresented communities. To build a global network among U.S. IREU/IRES programs, ACS will work with our partners from Germany and Singapore to place (at no cost to the NSF) students from these countries in existing domestic IRES/IREU programs. Student researchers will explore a variety of technical topics touching on chemistry, chemical engineering and materials science. Select proposed research topics include: understanding the role of fermentation in food risk assessment, influence of solid-state structural changes by cycloaddition reaction on photophysical properties and understanding catalysts for the production of fuels from the renewable sources. 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.