The award from the Chemistry Division supports an Undergraduate Research Center (URC) planning grant. The PI is James R. Ford assisted by co-PIs Thomas A. Newton and Caryn Prudente. The second semester first-year chemistry laboratory course will be redesigned to focus on team-based participation in projects derived from the local research community. A summer research internship program will be created to provide students the opportunity to continue their initial investigations. The organic chemistry laboratory will be expanded to include two additional research-based projects. The partners in this pilot project include faculty in Chemistry, Biology, Psychology, Environmental Science and Policy, the School of Applied Science, Engineering, and Technology, and research scientists from the Bioscience Research Institute of Southern Maine and from two biotechnology companies and an environmental monitoring laboratory. The partnerships will be strengthened through project planning and progress meetings. Additional partners will be investigated. Evaluation of the undergraduate research experience will consist of pre- and post-surveys to assess skill development, knowledge of the project and worker characteristics.
