REU Site: Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Chemistry for Community College Students at Old Dominion University

Old Dominion University Research Foundation, Norfolk VA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). This REU Sites award to Old Dominion University, located in Norfolk, VA, will support ten students for ten weeks of research training and professional development over the summers of 2022-2024. This site focuses on providing opportunities for community college students to explore real-world projects in the chemical sciences. Community college students are recognized as an untapped resource for a diverse STEM workforce. Participation is open to students from two-year institutions across the nation and through a close collaboration with Tidewater Community College and Thomas Nelson Community College, local institutions with high populations of underrepresented minority students and veterans. Access to early research opportunities, career training, and one-on-one mentoring will facilitate successful transfer to four-year programs, enhance retention of these student groups in STEM careers, and introduce the potential for graduate education. REU students will gain hands-on experience in the laboratory under the close mentorship of more experienced researchers and participate as a cohort in professional development activities to include field trips, panel discussions and workshops. These are designed to equip participants with the tools for success in a chemistry/STEM career. Research topics include computational modeling, organic synthesis, and applied spectroscopy, with themes ranging from natural products to sustainable fuels to materials development for biomedical applications. Professional development programming will include seminars or workshops on transferring to a 4-year STEM major; career pathways in the chemical sciences; life experiences of career chemists through panel discussions and field trips; networking and job searching; and responsible conduct of research. Participants will present their research projects at on-site and regional meetings and co-author peer-reviewed articles where appropriate. Faculty and the leadership team will provide mentoring and individualized career advice to establish a support network that continues after the summer research experience has concluded. 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.