The award from the Chemistry Division supports an Undergraduate Research Centers (URC) planning grant. The PI is H. David Husic assisted by co-PI Diane W. Husic of Moravian College. This planning grant will support activities of the Consortium for Research Opportunities in the Plant Sciences (CROPS) to develop an URC. The consortium members are chemists, biochemists and a molecular biologist at Lafayette College, Moravian College, Colgate University, Haveford College, Juniata College, Marist College and Lehigh University. The award will support work towards the following goals: 1) development of consortial relationships; 2) fostering interdisciplinary collaborative faculty/student research; 3) provide research opportunities in the area of plant sciences; 4) develop programmatic elements that will illustrate the ties between chemistry and the plant sciences that can impact both research and classroom teaching. Programmatic elements to be considered and designed include a seminar series, curricular materials, workshops, laboratory resource guides, an electronic newsletter, a website focusing on chemical and molecular aspects of plant sciences. The consortium will foster research opportunities for students at institutions that currently have limited infrastructure to support research, including a regional community college, Northampton Community College.
