REU Site: Sensing and Assembly Based on Non-Covalent Interactions

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to The University of Southern Mississippi, located in Hattiesburg, MS, supports the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), undergraduate students will pursue research projects in chemistry and biochemistry, with a focus on non-covalent interactions. Participants will also take part in a professional development and ethics training program, with a focus on oral communication, scientific writing, and preparation for graduate school or industrial careers. The outreach activities planned and conducted by the REU students will help disseminate knowledge and raise awareness about sustainable practices. The students will undertake individual projects encompassing all fields of chemistry and biochemistry with a common theme of utilizing non-covalent interactions. The projects will include assembly of macromolecules and proteins, ultra-sensitive and quantitative detection, and asymmetric synthesis of bioactive molecules and their applications in biochemistry. The integration of theoretical modeling with experimental methodologies will further enhance comprehension of the roles played by underlying non-covalent interactions in chemical processes and reactions. This REU site will provide intensive research and professional training to talented undergraduate students from throughout the US, fostering their enthusiasm towards pursuing a STEM career in the future. 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.