REU Site: Sunshine Institute for the Interaction of Light with Matter

Florida State University, Tallahassee FL

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Florida State University, located in Tallahassee, FL, supports the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2022-2024. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry and the Department of Defense ASSURE program, participants pursue interdisciplinary research projects emphasizing photochemistry, photophysics, and spectroscopy. Although students are encouraged to apply from across the country, the site emphasizes the recruitment of students from Florida and the Southeastern United States, particularly those from institutions with few research opportunities and those part of underrepresented groups in chemistry. Participants also take part in a professional development and ethics training, with a focus on science communication and preparation for graduate school or industrial careers. They will also be trained in chemical safety. Through independent research projects and weekly events including workshops, seminars, and Photochemistry Cafés, this site broadens participation in STEM and encourages the pursuit of research careers in STEM fields. The students participate in hands-on research that is of great interest to modern science and technology. In particular, the research projects that are designed to advance knowledge relevant to solar-energy conversion, photochemical reactions, ultrafast photophysical events, and photomagnetic effects. Participants also receive training in synthetic chemistry, a variety of analytical techniques, and theoretical methods. Continued post-program mentoring is provided to the REU participants after they return to their home institutions; they are encouraged to present their work at their home institutions and at professional conferences. This program will build on long-standing efforts by the FSU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in training undergraduates through an active research involvement, which has motivated many students to pursue graduate degrees and to enter careers in science and engineering. This site is supported by the Department of Defense ASSURE program in partnership with the NSF REU program. 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.