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Undergraduate Research at UNC Pembroke

Undergraduate Research at UNC Pembroke. Paul A. Flowers Department of Chemistry and Physics. The University of North Carolina. UNC Pembroke. predominantly undergraduate enrollment ca. 3000 ca. 25% Native American. The Department. four fttt chemistry faculty (3 physicists)

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Undergraduate Research at UNC Pembroke

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  1. Undergraduate Research at UNC Pembroke • Paul A. Flowers • Department of Chemistry and Physics

  2. The University of North Carolina

  3. UNC Pembroke • predominantly undergraduate • enrollment ca. 3000 • ca. 25% Native American The Department • four fttt chemistry faculty (3 physicists) • ca. 50-60 majors (average 10 grads/yr) • ca. 50% Native American

  4. Chemistry Majors and Graduates1990 - 1998

  5. Postgraduation Activity of Majors (average percentages for 1990-1998)

  6. Vehicles for Undergraduate Research in Chemistry at UNCP • standard curriculum (CHM 399 “Research in Chemistry; CHM 499 “Independent Study”) • university honors curriculum (Chancellor’s Scholars Program) • summer research appointments (external grant support) • off-campus research appointments (not exactly “at UNCP”)

  7. Undergraduate Research Activityin Chemistry1988 - 1998

  8. Support forUndergraduate Research • financial support from the “usual” sources, best chances with those programs targeting PUIs (NSF-RUI, NSF-REU, ACS-PRF(B), etc.) • modest funding (e.g., for supplies) might be obtained via departmental budgets or other internal sources (e.g., UNCP Faculty Research & Development Committee, various “slush” funds) • “nonfunds” support from colleagues and various organizations (e.g., CUR, NCUR)

  9. …in its eighth year, the annual North Carolina Conference on Undergraduate Research provides a forum for presentation of undergraduate research in various disciplines…the organizing group has provided intermittent funding for summer research in years past...

  10. stimulates student and faculty intellect may further professional development of faculty enhances student credentials excellent vehicle for student learning requires large amounts of time (student supervision, quest for funds, publication, etc.) rarely carries “credit” towards faculty workloads (inherently small student-teacher ratio) Good News Bad News

  11. Thoughts on a “Remedy” • design research projects both scientifically sound and conducive to undergraduate involvement (may require alterations of faculty “interests”) • incorporate project-related research activities into traditional curricula, hence receiving workload credit by default • strive towards individual, department, and university commitment (sequentially)

  12. One Example Nearly Begun... • on-going research projects: (1) “Dissolution and Electroreduction of Carbon Dioxide in Molten Salt Hydrates”, and (2) “Analytical Spectroelectrochemistry” • project’s experimental work encompasses the techniques typically included in a traditional advanced analytical chemistry course • students in CHM 327 will become a “research group” during the semester’s second half, working independently on various aspects of the project • exploits a recently implemented, laboratory-intensive course format (for details, see the course webpage at www.uncp.edu/home/pwf/327.htm)

  13. Concluding Thoughts • in learning science, there’s no substitute for traditional experimental research, closely supervised by a faculty mentor • in many PUI environments, there’s no way to realistically engage a justifiable enrollment in such research (“justifiable” in terms of concrete administrative realities like FTEs) • consequently, undergraduate research supervision is essentially pro bono in regard to faculty workloads • in this light, complementation of research and traditional curriculum concepts might be a viable compromise

  14. Acknowledgements • ACS, HHMI, NCBC, NSF, Research Corp, and UNCP for financial support • T.R. Blackburn and the late G. Mamantov for their mentorship and other positive influences • R.M. Wightman (UNCCH) and E.F. Bowden (NCSU) for their consistent support and counsel throughout my professorship • J.J. D’Arruda (UNCP) for his Departmental leadership • Departmental colleagues for their assistance and encouragement • student research assistants for providing my motivation and opportunity

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