REU Site: Summer Undergraduate Research in Chemistry and Biochemistry at Miami University

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This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Miami University, located in Oxford, OH, supports the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2027. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants will participate in wide-ranging, independent and collaborative research experiences in chemistry to develop and refine students’ experimental skills and enhance their ability to work as part of a research team. The combination of intense research, professional development, and cohort building will provide the next generation of scientists with a well-rounded experience and strong encouragement to continue in one of many areas of science as a career.The project focuses on students underrepresented in chemistry and/or those who do not have opportunities for research at their home institution. Students will choose from research projects in analytical, biological, inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, with most projects being interdisciplinary, such as bioanalytical, bio-inorganic, biophysical, and nanotechnology. Students will also participate in sessions that will cover a number of topics associated with professional development including the development of research proposals, scientific presentations, ethics in science, careers in chemistry and biochemistry including science policy, and activities to expose students to various job opportunities and to build a strong cohort. Many undergraduate chemistry and biochemistry students often lack exposure to scientific research career opportunities or opportunities to apply critical thinking skills to open-ended research. This project will provide those opportunities. The broader impacts of Miami University's Chemistry and Biochemistry REU program is to promote research in chemistry and biochemistry as a career, especially for students underrepresented in the physical sciences.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.