Resesarch Initiation Award: Investigating the Structure, Bonding and Reactivity of Metal-ethylene Complexes using Infrared Laser Spectroscopy

历史上的黑人学院和大学本科项目（HBCU-UP）研究启动奖（RIAs）为hbcu的STEM教师提供支持，包括开始建立研究项目的初级教师，以及在担任行政职务后重返教职队伍或需要重新定向和重建研究项目的职业中期教师。教师可以在自己的学校、美国国家科学基金会资助的中心、研究密集型机构或国家实验室进行研究。RIA项目将有助于进一步提高教师的研究能力和效率，改善其所在机构的研究和教学，并使本科生参与研究经验。在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，维尔京群岛大学（UVI）将开展研究并加强其物理化学课程，这将有助于提高UVI的研究能力和本科生的教育经验。该项目的目标是通过参与世界一流的开创性科学研究，提高弗吉尼亚大学STEM专业本科生的保留率和毕业率。研究和教育的结合有望扩大STEM中代表性不足的群体的参与，并支持国家建立一支强大的STEM劳动力队伍的努力。本项目的目的是利用红外光解离光谱和计算化学研究TM(C2H4)n+形式的过渡金属-乙烯阳离子。该项目的研究结果将有助于深入了解TM(C2H4)n+配合物的键合、结构、配位和反应性。这些物质是对化学工业和基础科学都很重要的反应中的关键中间体和产物。这些知识有助于揭示反应机理，并为这些物质在气相中的环化和寡聚反应提供第一个光谱证据。该项目将为本科生提供早期沉浸于创新科学研究的机会。研究将在夏季期间在佐治亚大学进行，并在学年期间继续在弗吉尼亚大学进行。

The Historically Black Colleges and Universities-Undergraduate Program (HBCU-UP) Research Initiation Awards (RIAs) provide support to STEM faculty at HBCUs including junior faculty who are starting to build a research program and mid-career faculty returning to the faculty ranks after holding an administrative post or who need to redirect and rebuild a research program. Faculty members may pursue research at their home institution, at an NSF-funded Center, at a research intensive institution or at a national laboratory. The RIA projects are expected to help further the faculty member's research capability and effectiveness, to improve research and teaching at his or her home institution, and to involve undergraduate students in research experiences. With support from the National Science Foundation, the University of The Virgin Islands (UVI) will conduct research and enhance its Physical Chemistry curriculum, which will aid in enhancing UVI's research capabilities and the educational experiences of undergraduates. The goal of the project is to increase the retention and graduation rates of undergraduate students in STEM at UVI by involving them in world-class, pioneering scientific research. The combined research and educational efforts are expected to expand the participation of groups underrepresented in STEM and support the nation's efforts in building a robust STEM workforce.The goal of this project is to study transition metal-ethylene cations of the form TM(C2H4)n+ using infrared photo-dissociation spectroscopy and computational chemistry. Findings from this project will provide insight into the bonding, structure, coordination and reactivity of TM(C2H4)n+ complexes. These species are key intermediates and products in reactions that are important to both the chemical industry and fundamental science. This knowledge can facilitate the exposition of reaction mechanisms and provide the first spectroscopic evidence for cyclization and oligomerization reactions of these species in the gas phase. This project will offer early immersion in innovative scientific research for undergraduate students. Research will be conducted at the University of Georgia during the summer and continue at UVI during the school year.