Planning Forward to Create an Undergraduate Research Center (URC) at a Community College

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The award from the Chemistry Division supports an Undergraduate Research Center (URC) planning grant. The PI is Iraj B. Nejad, assisted by co-PI, Jenny S. Chen. Mount San Antonio College (Mt. SAC), a two-year institution, will partner with the University of California at Los Angeles, Occidental College, and California State University at Los Angeles to pilot a program that provides research opportunities for Mt. SAC students at these partner institutions. A bridging program will be developed that includes a multi-level recruitment strategy, student orientation and preparation, mentorship, student support at the research institutions, a Mt. SAC Conference Day and presentation of research results, and program evaluation. The PIs will develop a freshman-level "Orientation to Research" workshop and a sophomore "Introduction to Research" course in collaboration with faculty at the four-year institutions. Collaborative research projects will be developed to encompass more students and allow them to experience a smooth transition to a four-year institution. The planning period will be used to develop further partnerships with two-year and four-year institutions and federal laboratories leading to development of a undergraduate research center that will provide research opportunities for community college students at the partner schools.