Our American Chemistry Society-certified BS in Chemistry requires the student to take at least 3 semester credits of CHM 4910L, completing an undergraduate research project in chemistry under the direction of a research faculty member.
Undergraduate research provides you the opportunity to be an active contributor to the body of knowledge in chemistry and/or biochemistry. You will work directly with one of the research groups in the department. At the conclusion of the research project, you will be expected to author a report, written in the style and format of a research publication in an ACS peer-reviewed journal.
It is quite possible the results of your efforts will become a component of a presentation at a major national or international scientific meeting and/or a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. This might be as a co-author or in some instances even as the first author of a poster, oral presentation or publication. Each year, a number of our undergraduate students travel to the meetings of the American Chemical Society or another major scientific meeting where they present their work to other scientists in the discipline.
It is expected that each student will need to spend between 15-20 hours per week working in the laboratory and become an active member of their chosen research group. This includes attending group meetings and other activities. Fulfillment of undergraduate research project and achievement of a passing grade in CHM 4910L typically encompasses several semesters of involvement with a project. It is rare that a student can complete this requirement in less than two semesters. We encourage all Bs in Chemistry and BS in Biochemistry students to begin thinking about the selection of a research mentor no later than the conclusion of CHM 2211 Organic Chemistry II.