This award supported by the Chemistry Division, with additional support from: the Division of Biological Infrastructure, the HBCU-UP Program, and the Physics Division is for a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site led by Kathleen M. Morgan at Xavier University of Louisiana. The award will support eight students per summer in a ten week program, over three years. The research projects focus on collaborative research in chemistry, biology and materials science. Sample projects include: (1) genetic and behavioral studies of the nematode C. elegans; (2) the development of new materials for water and wastewater treatment; (3) the development of synthetic nanomaterials as gene transfection agents; (4) the design and study of new inhibitors for Cytochrome P450 enzymes; (5) the study of the mechanisms of aflatoxin production in fungi which are known to infect crops; (6) structure-property investigations of simple epoxides and aziridines; (7) the synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles; (8) the development of microfluidic methods for bioanalytical applications; and (9) the design, synthesis and biological evaluation of selective estrogen receptor modulators. Besides being exposed to cutting-edge research, the students participating in this program will participate in site visits, social activities, and professional development activities. Students targeted for the proposed site include students from regional HBCU institutions and other institutions with lack of resources for research.
Young scientists need exposure to modern research methods and tools as part of their training. This REU site aims to provide practical, hands-on research training to a significant number of students who might not have this opportunity at their home institution. The interdisciplinary projects that the students will work on while at Xavier, are excellent examples of the kinds of cross-disciplinary work that is becoming more and more typical of the most fruitful avenues for modern laboratory research. Students participating in research at this site will be well-prepared for graduate school, and eventual employment as part of the country's technical workforce.
In Summer 2011-2013, Xavier University of Louisiana hosted twenty-four students from around the country for a Research Experiences for Undergraduates site. The program at Xavier, a primarily undergraduate, historically Black and Catholic university, was designed for students with no prior research experience and from colleges with limited research infrastructure, including two-year colleges. The REU students carried out independent research full-time for ten weeks and were mentored by Xavier faculty together with Xavier undergraduates already working in the labs. Students also participated in weekly enrichment activities such as learning how to use the library and how to present their research in various formats. Students also went on field trips to nearby research facilities and graduate programs. The REU program culminated each year with a poster session at which the REU and other Xavier students presented the results of their summer research. All students who participated in this REU program have graduated with, or are on track to graduate college with, a Bachelor of Science in a STEM field. This includes two students who entered the REU program from two-year colleges. The majority of the students are interested in pursuing graduate research or research-centered careers, and three are already in graduate programs. All but two students showed growth in their self-reported research ability, based on a ten-question pre- and post-program assessment. Nine students presented their research at conferences beyond the required on-campus poster session, and three students are co-authors on peer-reviewed publications. Four other students are co-authors on manuscripts that are close to publication. The value of this program is best described by the students themselves. Participants were asked, at least one year after they completed the program, whether the REU program had any impact on their career goals. One student stated, "It was at Xavier where I found that I love working in the lab. I was unsure of my ability to discover and explore when I first arrived at Xavier, since I was only an upcoming sophomore in college. I have now grown into a confident researcher who is unafraid to ask questions and seek answers. My REU experience is what started it all for me, and hopefully I can partake again with maybe receiving a REU grant of my own in the future so that I may give another student the experience that I had...." Another student, who participated after her sophomore year, stated "... my experience at Xavier helped me realize just how much I love research and want to continue growing as a scientist. My only regret is that I did not experience it earlier on in undergrad. I would be in a much better place academically."
