Undergraduate Research

The Chemistry Department is committed to involving undergraduates in scientific research. As early as the second semester of the General Chemistry Laboratory, students participate in authentic research on a variety of interdisciplinary research projects. A limited number of summer internships provide financial support for students to continue their work on projects started in class. The research curriculum continues with Organic Chemistry, where students spend the entire year preparing for and carrying out novel synthetic pathways. Upper level students can participate in research through the Special Topics courses and/or on an individual basis with department faculty, most of whom include support for undergraduate assistants in their research proposals.

First Year Research Opportunities

In 2004 Professors Ford, Prudente and Newton received a $50,000 planning grant from the National Science foundation to explore a model for an Undergraduate Research Center. This model associates existing multidisciplinary research projects with teams of second semester, first-year undergraduates. Following a 6-week introduction to research methodology, students carry out measurement and analysis of samples provided by the projects. Each project provides an opportunity for one student to continue work into the summer with a summer internship.

• "USM Chemistry Undergraduate Research Center", a poster presented at the 2005 Thinking Matters Symposium
• "Hazardous Particulate Matter and Asthma", presentation from the PM-10 group, spring 2005
• "Arsenic Group", presented by the Arsenic group, spring 2005
• "USM Chemistry Undergraduate Research Center", presented at the 2006 Thinking Matters Symposium
• "Nitrate Flux", presented by the Nitrate group, spring 2006
• "PBDE", presented by the PBDE group, spring 2006
• "Phosphate", presented by the phosphate group, spring 2006
• "TKN Digestion", presented by the Katahdin group, spring 2006
• "Arsenic Uptake in Mice Cells", presented by the arsenic group, spring 2006
• "Phytoplankton and the Effect of Phosphate Levels", presented by the phosphate group, spring 2006
• "Fluorescence Studies of Europium-Copper/Silver Compounds", presented by the lanthanides group, spring 2007
• "PBDEs and You", presented by the PBDE group, spring 2007
• "Synthesis of Protein Molecular Probes", presented by the protein group, spring 2007
• "Construction of Thin Film Electroluminescent Devices", report of the thin films group, spring 2007

Second Year Research

The Organic Chemistry Lab, CHY 252/254, continues the research-oriented curriculum into the second year. The first semester engages students in the synthesis of a series of compounds, developing proficiency in synthesis and characterization. In the second semester these skills are applied toward the synthesis and characterization of novel compounds.

Advanced Research Opportunities

The chemistry faculty welcomes student participation in their research. See the faculty web pages for information on their areas of interest.