This International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) project provides a 12-week research experience at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland for fifteen Carroll University students. The goals of the project are twofold. First, to develop students? cross-disciplinary scientific research skills by embedding them in projects and facilities that are not available at a small undergraduate institution. To achieve this goal, each student will join a research group and project in the Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry at Strathcylde for a summer of research. The second goal is to prepare students to thrive in an interdependent and multicultural scientific environment (and future career) by emphasizing the cultural aspects of the experience. This program produces increased cross-cultural awareness and competence - derived from a pre-trip cultural competence course, cultural seminars overseas, and the experience of living and working in another culture for a summer. In order to support broader participation in this project, special effort is given to recruiting into the program students from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.
The research that the students will undertake is cutting-edge and highly relevant to today?s world. While at Strathclyde, our students will carry out individual projects related to alternative energy technology, nanoscience and materials chemistry. In particular, they will work on self-assembled organic photovoltaic materials, redox flow battery systems, and nanoparticle assemblies for healthcare diagnostics and therapy. The students will benefit from working on some of the most advanced instrumentation available, while collaborating with researchers who are pre-eminent in their fields. All students will present their work at local and national meetings, and we expect that many of the students will also contribute to peer-reviewed publications, thus helping to disseminate their results to the broader scientific community.
