Renovation of Biotechnology and Chemistry Research Laboratories at SEOSU

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This award will provide funds to renovate three Biotechnology and Chemistry research wet laboratories in the Science building of the Chemistry, Computer and Physical Sciences Department at Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SEOSU), Durant, OK. These laboratories were designed in the 1960s for inorganic, organic, physical and analytical chemistry research, before the dawn of modern biotechnology and molecular biology, before the common use of computers and automated equipment, and before the evolution of current safety and access standards. The proposed renovations will greatly improve the suitability of the labs for current research and instrumentation placement, while retaining flexibility for future projects in other areas. Research topics that will be pursued include biosynthesis, insect development inhibitors, and biofuel production from agricultural waste. EOSU is a predominantly undergraduate institution in rural Oklahoma, with a strong tradition of involving undergraduate science majors in hands-on research. The majority of the students are first-generation college students from rural and low-income areas, and a large percentage (30%) are of Native American descent or from minority backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields.