Undergraduate Exploration of Chemistry

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The award from the Chemistry Division supports an Undergraduate Research Centers (URC) planning grant. The PI is Jani C. Ingram. The co-PIs are Mansel A. Nelson of Northern Arizona University, Jeanne E. Pemberton of the University of Arizona and Paul E. Smolenyak of Yavapai College. This award will develop a comprehensive strategy for creating an undergraduate research center in Arizona to enhance chemistry-related educational opportunities for early college students. It will involve a partnership among a research-centered institution (University of Arizona), a predominantly undergraduate institution (Northern Arizona University), community colleges (Yavapai College and Coconino Community College), and an educational outreach program (Environmental Education Outreach Program/Institute of Tribal Environmental Professional). There will be an initiative to recruit high school students to choose scientific careers. Other objectives are to improve discovery-base learning aspects in the freshman chemistry curriculum, develop research projects that involve activities at the individual institutions as well as interactions between institutions, pilot informational sessions for freshman students about lives of chemists that have degrees in chemistry but have taken varying career paths, and explore adding other community colleges to the center. The research opportunities for the students will be concentrated on environmental science providing the students with a multidisciplinary exposure to research.