Research on the Prairies: Undergraduate Training in the Molecular Sciences

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This award from the Division of Chemistry (CHE) supports a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site led by Erika Offerdahl and Mukund Sibi at North Dakota State University. The research projects supported in this site are in a wide range of areas of chemistry, with the unifying theme of "Molecular Science." Students will be recruited to this site from undergraduate institutions that lack the resources to support undergraduate research, with a focus on the recruitment of female students from primarily undergraduate institutions. Each summer, the site will support 10 students in a ten-week per summer program. A sample of the projects that researchers will work on include: (1) the use of environmentally benign indium and bismuth catalysts for asymmetric allylation; (2) the study of the conserved molecular mechanisms that ensure genome maintenance and prevent abnormal cell growth; (3) the control of photochemistry within nanocavities in water; (4) the study of student learning in biochemistry; (5) the synthesis and study of new conjugated materials for solar cells and electronic displays and (6) the exploration of designer templates for bifunctional catalysis. In addition to conducting research during the summer, the students participating in this program will participate in a number of professional development activities, including workshops providing training in chemical safety and in using the chemical literature. Students will have numerous opportunities to present their results in a variety of settings, including an Undergraduate Research Symposium on-site.Young scientists need exposure to modern research methods and tools as part of their training. This REU site aims to provide students without significant research experience a chance to conduct cutting-edge research in the chemical sciences with dedicated faculty mentors. The diverse student cohort participating in research at this site will be well-prepared for further study in the chemical sciences, and graduate school, with eventual employment as part of the country's technical workforce.