REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Chemistry at Kansas State University

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Kansas State University, located in Manhattan, KS, supports the training of 9 undergraduate students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants will engage in interdisciplinary research projects covering analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. The overall theme of the REU Site is the application of fundamental chemistry to address biologically relevant issues. Participants will be mentored by individual faculty throughout the research experience. In addition to conducting research during the summer, the undergraduate students will also take part in numerous professional development activities including seminars introducing participants to research, laboratory safety, scientific presentations, and the nature of science and scientific inquiry. Through this program, participants will engage in the scientific research process that will better prepare them for graduate school and careers in the chemical sciences. The research projects conducted by the undergraduate researchers will be in chemistry areas of relevance to national biosecurity. The projects will include the development of (a) diagnostic devices for the detection of diseases and disease organisms, (b) synthetic routes towards organic molecules with potential impact on human health, (c) inexpensive energy resources and energy storage devices, (d) novel polymers for drug delivery and imaging abilities, and (e) bio-inspired catalysts. This REU site will recruit students from throughout the nation, particularly those from institutions with limited research opportunities. In addition to the research experience, undergraduates will participate in a seminar series and networking social functions that will aim to prepare them for graduate school and careers in the chemical sciences. 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.