URC Planning Grant for INSPIRE: Interstate Network of Science Programs Integrating Research and Education

化学部的奖项支持本科研究中心（URC）规划补助金。 PI是Lon J. Mathias，由联合PI Pollyanne Franz协助。 这项规划赠款最初将连接南密西西比PI的大学与圣诺伯特学院（格林湾，威斯康星州）和威斯康星大学史蒂文斯点的合作者。 这些参与者将主办一个研讨会，将涉及来自不同类型的机构（高中，社区学院，学院和大学）和支持团体，如研究生教育联盟在密西西比（AGEM），和密西西比联盟少数民族参与（MAMP）的教师。 研讨会将制定课程修改模型，强调接触化学和聚合物科学研究适合他们所服务的机构的学生。 一个目标是修改现有的一般化学探究为基础的讲座课程与实验室，是一个面向项目的研究经验。 规划补助金还将促进资源和培训材料的开发，以帮助教育工作者开展研究活动;开发一个高中初中-高中模式，以启动大学预科研究经验;以及制定一个互联网访问共享仪器计划，供学生真实的时间进行实验。 该项目将开发一个物理和虚拟中心，其模块可供所有教育工作者用于实施课程变更（增加科学和非科学专业的研究机会），并在各级提供新的研究项目。

The award from the Chemistry Division supports an Undergraduate Research Centers (URC) planning grant. The PI is Lon J. Mathias assisted by co-PI Pollyanne Franz. This planning grant will initially connect the University of Southern Mississippi PIs with collaborators from St. Norbert College (Green Bay, WI) and University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. These participants will host a workshop that will involve faculty from different types of institutions (high schools, community colleges, colleges and universities) and support groups such as the Alliance for Graduate Education in Mississippi (AGEM), and the Mississippi Alliance for Minority Participation (MAMP). The workshop will formulate curriculum modification models that emphasize exposure to research in chemistry and polymer science appropriate to the students at the institutions that they serve. One goal is to modify an existing general chemistry inquiry based lecture course with a laboratory that is a project-oriented research experience. The planning grant will also foster development of resource and training materials to aid educators in implementing research activities; development of a high school junior-senior model for initiating pre-college research experiences; and development of plans for an Internet-access shared instrumentation program for students to carry out experiments in real time. The project will develop a physical and virtual center with modules that all educators can use to implement course changes (that increase exposure to research for science and non-science majors alike) and offer new research projects at all levels.