REU Site: Research Experience in Functional Materials for Undergraduates in Chemistry at the University of South Florida

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to the University of South Florida, located in Tampa, FL, supports the training of 8 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants pursue collaborative research projects that focus on functional materials. Participants also take part in a professional development and research ethics training program, with a focus on scientific communication, preparation for graduate school and research careers, intellectual property, and entrepreneurship. This site broadens participation in STEM through independent research projects, workshops, and trainings. Participants undertake individual research projects in organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and computational chemistry, and biochemistry. These projects include the synthesis and characterization of catalysts, molecular sensors, multifunctional semiconductors, peptidomimetics, insecticides, and natural products; the development of liposomes to sequester pollutants, metal organic framework materials for light harvesting, and sol-gel coatings for solvent-free extractions; the spectroscopic characterization of photoswitches; and computer simulations of protein switches and plastic degrading enzymes. The professional development series includes workshops on intellectual property and commercializing chemical innovations. To broaden participation in STEM, this site also recruits students from schools with high minority enrollments and students at 2- and 4-year colleges without research opportunities. This Site is supported in part by funds provided to the National Science Foundation by the Semiconductor Research Corporation. 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.