Biological, Environmental, and Materials Chemistry Undergraduate Research Experience at Texas A&M University

May 26 - July 31, 2009

** The application deadline is February 14, 2009. **

Program Description

The program, funded by the National Science Foundation, focuses on interdisciplinary projects in biological, environmental, and materials chemistry. In our program, students become full members of a research group, carrying out fundamental research on topics that span the chemical sciences. Most students find the program to be a useful way to explore the graduate school experience at a top Chemistry program. Our faculty have an outstanding record of providing students rewarding summer research experiences, usually resulting in co-authorship on publications and/or presentations. In addition to the focus on individual research projects, students will participate in weekly career development seminars, highlighted by a Career Day with Ph.D. chemists speaking about their career paths. Students in the Chemistry REU will interact with students in other undergraduate research programs across campus.

Students receive

a stipend of $4500
free dormitory housing.
one credit of summer research, with tuition and required fees paid by the program.
Travel allowance
$500 Aggie Buck account (basically a debit card for meals on campus and for many off campus sites).

Eligibility

This is a competitive program open to undergraduate chemistry majors enrolled in 4-year U.S. Universities other than Texas A&M who have completed their third year with a 3.0 GPA or better with strong letters of recommendation. Outstanding students who have completed their second year will also be considered. Students must have completed 2 semesters of general chemistry and general laboratory, 2 semesters of organic chemistry and organic laboratory, and 2 upper level courses, which typically include any of the following: analytical, spectroscopy, instrumental analysis, advanced organic, physical chemistry, biochemistry.

We welcome applications from members of traditionally underrepresented groups, including minorities and women.

Research Projects
Click on the faculty member’s name to view their webpage to learn more about their research interests.

Faculty Member	Area*	Sample Project Title
James Batteas	M	Self-Organizing Nanoscale Materials and Devices
David Bergbreiter	E	Using Soluble Polymers to do Green Chemistry
Janet Blümel	M	Catalysts immobilized on oxide supports by new triphosphine linkers
Kevin Burgess	B	Syntheses of Peptidomimetics to Mimic or Disrupt Protein-Protein Interactions
Abraham Clearfield	E	Preparation of Porous Hybrid Materials with Controlled Pore Sizes for Sequestration of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Media
Brian Connell	B	Transition Metal-Catalyzed Heterocyclization Reactions
Paul Cremer	B	Protein Folding on a Chip
Marcetta Darensbourg	B	Synthetic Analogs of Enzyme Active Sites: The Bioorganometallic Chemistry of Acetyl CoA Synthase and Hydrogenases
John Fackler	M	Polynuclear Gold Complexes – New materials with Interesting Properties
Paul Fitzpatrick	B	Studies of Enzyme Mechanisms
Francois Gabbai	E	Molecular Sensors for the Detection of Cyanide Ions in Water
Yi Qin Gao	B	Accelerated Molecular Dynamics Simulations for Slow Protein Dynamics and Folding
John Gladysz	M	Syntheses and Chemical and Physical Properties of Molecular Gyroscopes
Christian Hilty	M	Characterization of Pore Structure in Materials Using Low-Field NMR and Dynamic Nuclear Polarization
Paul Lindahl	B	Iron Metabolism in Mitochondria
Simon North	E	Direct Imaging of Atmospheric Photochemistry
Frank Raushel	B	Origin of Substrate Specificity in Enzyme Superfamilies
Daniel Romo	B	Natural Product Total Synthesis and Cellular Receptor Isolation
Eric Simanek	B	Polymer Therapeutics for Cancer and other Diseases
Dan Singleton	B	Isotope Effects and Bioorganic Reaction Mechanisms
Dong Hee Son	M	Synthesis and magnetic characterization of transition metal oxide nanocrystals
Manuel Soriaga	M	Magnesium Alloys as Hydrogen Storage Materials
*B=Biological Chemistry; E=Environmental Chemistry; M=Materials Chemistry

Previous Summer Programs

How to Apply

You may visit www.chem.tamu.edu/grad_off/summer_research/apply to apply online.
To request a paper application for the Summer Research Program, contact the Graduate Student Office by:

Email:	gradmail@mail.chem.tamu.edu
Toll-free:	1-800-334-1082
Write to:	Texas A&M University, Dept. of Chemistry Summer Research Program PO Box 30012, College Station, TX 77842-3012 Please title all correspondence with the "Summer Research Program".

The following documents are required for your application to be reviewed.

Completed application
Statement of purpose
2 letters of recommendation
Official undergraduate transcript

For more information, write the Graduate Student Advisor: gradmail@mail.chem.tamu.edu.