chemistry division - learning through research · increase student learning using lecture...
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Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Karen H Almeida
Institution: Rhode Island College Physical Sciences, Providence, RI
Title: Professor
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): My official title is Professor of Chemistry and
Biochemistry at Rhode Island College (RIC). In addition to my faculty duties, I was tapped by the Vice-President of
Academic Affairs to inform the next strategic plan by developing a white paper on the status of scientific Undergraduate
Research (UR) at RIC.
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): During my nine years at RIC, I
have built and maintained an active undergraduate research program. This work has been supported primarily through
statewide grant initiatives such as RI-INBRE (NIH) or RI-EPSCoR (NSF). With these funds, I have trained 32
undergraduates of diverse majors, including chemistry, biology, nursing and philosophy. Students who have
conducted research in my lab have continued their studies or are working in industrial settings. My research training
strategy includes students in all aspects of the research endeavor including literature reviews, experimental design,
analyzing/interpreting data and communicating the results.
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*):
Bergeron KL*, Murphy EL*, Brown L*, Almeida KH. (2011) “Critical interaction domains between bloom syndrome
protein and RAD51” Protein J. 30(1), 1-8. PMID: 21113733
Bergeron, K.L.*, Murphy, E.L.*, Majofodun, O*, Muñoz, L.D.*, Williams Jr., J.C. and Almeida, K.H. (2009)
“Arylphosphonium salts interact with DNA to modulate cytotoxicity ,” Mutation Research: Genetic Toxicology and
Environmental Mutagenesis. 673(2) 141-148. PMID 19429515
Almeida, K.H., Merson, R.R., Spinette, S.M., “Rhode Island College Efforts to Expand Faculty Mentored Research”
(2008) Council on Undergraduate Research National Conference, St. Benedict’s College, St. Cloud, MN
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): I believe that undergraduate research opens the door through which students, particularly
underrepresented, can pursue and excel in science. Since 2010, I have focused on developing and growing a
concentration in biological chemistry within RIC’s BS chemistry program. Undergraduate research (UR), a cornerstone
of this degree, plays a major role in its growth. As the only biochemist in my department, I have advised dozens of
students, developed a hypothesis-driven biochemistry lab course and supervised student research projects that teach
students both practical techniques and critical thinking skills. These skills have served the BS biological chemistry
graduates well, with 100% currently pursuing graduate degrees or working in academic or industrial settings. Though
new, the BS biological chemistry degree now accounts for 50% of the chemistry majors. While numbers are small, the
positive slope is encouraging. This is due in part to other activities I developed to encourage a community of
student-scholars, including resume/interviewing workshops, social events and study sessions. I spearheaded the
continuation of this community after graduation with a Facebook page to disseminate information and encourage
networking between students and alum. Students report that UR requirements and graduates’ success stories
influence their decision to pursue biological chemistry at RIC.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words): I
chose Rhode Island College because it is a public, comprehensive 4-year institution that serves a high percentage of
urban and first generation students. I believe that a science degree is achievable for any student who wants to work for
it. At RIC, I have focused on two of CUR’s 5 strategic pillars, increasing UR in the curriculum and increasing access to
UR for underrepresented groups. Retention rates at RIC mirror those nationally and attrition in the sciences is even
higher, highlighting the need to encourage and retain more disadvantaged students in primarily undergraduate
institutions. I have been active in developing a grant proposal to centralize and expand the faculty-student collaborative
research as a means of increasing retention rates. The proposal uses CUR as a model to institute high impact
practices specifically increasing UR principles and methods into the curriculum. The biological chemistry
concentration that I developed highlights faculty-student collaborations, technical skills and problem-solving strategies
culminating in a publication style manuscript. Currently one-third of the students pursuing the biological chemistry
concentration are self-identified as members of an underrepresented group; two-thirds are women. By building a
community of student-scholars that are actively engaged in UR, I am increasing the number of underrepresented
students earning a BS in biological chemistry from RIC. I believe the “building” experience that I have led at RIC can be
of value to CUR, while my position as a CUR Councilor can bring valuable insight back to RIC as the college develops
its own UR program.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Holly M Bevsek
Institution: The Citadel Chemistry, Charleston, SC
Title: Associate Professor
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Department of Chemistry, The Citadel
Associate Professor, 2012-present
Assistant Professor, 2006-2012
Department of Chemistry, Susquehanna University
Visiting Assistant Professor, 2002-2005
Lyman Briggs College and Department of Chemsitry, Michigan State University
Dutton Fellow in Chemistry, 1997-2002
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): The South Carolina Space Grant
Consortium and SC NASA EPSCoR "Reaction of Methane with Hydrogen Peroxide Adsorbed on a Martian Soil
Analog". Principle Investigator: Holly M. Bevsek. Award: $8,000 with $8,000 institutional match. Funding period:
5/1/11-6/30/13.
The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc., Special Grant Program in the Chemical Sciences " A New Model to
Increase Student Learning Using Lecture Demonstrations in General Chemistry" (SG-01-065). Principle Investigator:
Holly M. Bevsek. Award: $25,949 with $25,000 institutional match. Funding Period: 1/30/01–9/30/06.
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*):
Reaction products and kinetics of the reaction of NO2 with gamma-Fe2O3, B. C. Hixson*, J. W. Jordan*, E. L.
Wagner*, and H. M. Bevsek, Journal of Physical Chemistry A., 2011, 115, 13364.
Utilizing Problem Based Learning in Qualitative Analysis Lab Experiments , Randall W. Hicks and Holly M. Bevsek,
Journal of Chemical Education, 2012, 89, 254.
Reaction of methane with hydrogen peroxide adsorbed on a Martian soil simulant
D. Evan Eich* and Holly M. Bevsek, 243rd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA 2012,
Abstract CHED 1285.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): I have been a strong proponent for undergraduate research throughout my career and currently am
the CUR liaison for The Citadel. As the liaison I was instrumental in obtaining a CUR Institutional Membership and
procured funds to bring a CUR representative to review our department’s research program and offer a targeted
workshop on undergraduate research. I have mentored over twenty undergraduate students, many of whom began
their projects as freshmen or sophomores. As general chemistry laboratory coordinator for Lyman Briggs College at
Michigan State University, I designed an original research project requirement for all second semester chemistry
students and also served as research mentor for the majority of these students (~40/year). My experience in this
endeavor was helpful in implementing my current department’s “Freshmen Research Initiative” in which Citadel
chemistry majors conduct research projects in their second semester of general chemistry laboratory (we have plans
to offer all general chemistry students this experience in the future ). I also am the coordinator for our “Summer
Research Lunch” (initiated by myself) in which undergraduates performing summer research on campus meet to
discuss their research with one another; professional development seminars (e.g., ethical conduct of research,
performing useful literature searches) also occur.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words):
My career experiences mesh well with CUR’s five strategic pillars. Research has always been a process and an
outcome in my courses. I have mentored many students from freshmen to seniors with most presenting their results
at various conferences. My course curricula assist students in developing their research skills, e.g., learning to read
and write journal articles. Most importantly, I am a strong proponent of a four-year research program and co-designed
my department’s program (currently being piloted).
Assessment is an activity that I love. At MSU I learned assessment under Professor Diane Ebert-May, a
nationally-recognized expert on assessment. Since then assessment has always been a part of my career. From
2008-2013 I was the external evaluator for a NSF-funded GK-12 program at Texas Tech University and, most relevantly,
am currently developing an assessment plan for our department’s four -year research program.
With regard to broadening both participation in undergraduate research and the types of experiences that are offered , I
have actively recruited and served as research mentor for a significant number of students from underrepresented
groups. More broadly, research experiences are successful at attracting and retaining students–indeed, freshmen (our
largest and most diverse group) retention is a goal of my department’s four-year research program. Finally, my
department has a record of collaborating with businesses, government laboratories, and a local aquarium to design
non-traditional research experiences for students and I would enjoy utilizing my knowledge of these programs as a
councilor in designing a “Study Abroad/Research Semester” program for undergraduate students.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Keri Colabroy
Institution: Muhlenberg College, Allentown, PA
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Associate Professor of Chemistry. Muhlenberg
College
Co-Director, Biochemistry Program
Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Coordinator
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback
Foundation Award
for Distinguished Teaching (2012), Muhlenberg College. Presented in recognition of contributions to the intellectual
growth of students at Muhlenberg College.
Cottrell College Science Award Recipient, Research Corporation (2007) Grant title: Lincomycin Biosynthesis – The
enzymology of propylhygric acid assembly
Faculty Summer Research Grant Recipient, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, Muhlenberg College
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*): 1.
Keri L. Colabroy†, Ian R. Smith*, Alexander .H.S. Vlahos*, Andrew J. Markham*, Matthew E. Jakubik*. “Defining a
kinetic mechanism for l-DOPA 2,3 dioxygenase, a single-domain type I extradiol dioxygenase from Streptomyces
lincolnensis” Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Proteins and Proteomics, 2014, 1844 (3) 607-614. doi:
10.1016/j.bbapap.2013.12.005
2. Keri L. Colabroy†, William T. Hackett*, Andrew J. Markham*, Jennifer Rosenberg*, David E. Cohen*, Ariel
Jacobson*. “Biochemical characterization of L-DOPA 2,3-dioxygenase, a single-domain type I extradiol dioxygenase
from lincomycin biosynthesis.” Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysic, 2008, 479(2):131-8. doi:
10.1016/j.abb.2008.08.022
3. Keri L. Colabroy†. “A Writing Intensive Methods-Based Laboratory Course for Undergraduates” Biochemistry and
Molecular Biology Education. 2011, 39 (3): 196-203. doi: 10.1002/bmb.20496
* denotes undergraduates
†denotes corresponding author
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): Over the past 5 years, I have maintained an active research group mentoring 15 undergraduate
students for a combined 43 semesters of student research. I have published my work in peer-reviewed journals, with
four undergraduate co-authors (Colabroy, ABB, 2008; Connor, Biochemistry, 2011; Colabroy, BBA, 2014), and I have
integrated original research into my semester long laboratory course (Colabroy, BAMED 2011). I have presented my
work at the Enzymes, Coenzymes and Metabolic Pathways Gordon Conference, and a student presented our work in
the BIOL section of the ACS this past year (Ian Smith, 2014). I was a invited participant to an NSF-WIDER workshop on
collaborative research and integrating research into courses. In 2014, I led a tri-institutional team which was awarded a
Teagle grant to explore the creation of an online video archives for instruction in research instrumentation – this archive
is under development and is freely available for research and teaching.
Colabroy, K.L., Smith, I.R., Vlahos, A.H.S., Markham, A.J., Jakubik, M.E. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) -
Proteins and Proteomics, Available online 21 December 2013, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbapap.2013.12.005
Connor, K.L., Colabroy, K. L., Gerratana, B. Biochemistry 2011 Oct 18, 50(41):8926-36
Colabroy, KL Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education. 2011, 39 (3): 196-203
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words):
Since 2006, I have been integrating original research into my Experimental Biochemistry course, and yearly assessing
the impacts on our Biochemistry curriculum. I understand the challenges and also the rewards of student research in
the classroom, and the tremendous impacts on student learning. As the Undergraduate Research and Scholarship
Coordinator on our campus, I have worked to get student research representation from across the academic
disciplines. I am committed to bringing undergraduate research opportunities to as many students as possible – by
making them aware of those opportunities, by supporting the faculty who offer them, and by cultivating a student
research community on our campus. These experiences have afforded me insight into the challenges faculty and
administrators face in providing research opportunities for students, and the high impact practices that maintain and
retain student researchers across disciplines. For example, in the summer, I organize a seminar series that brings
together the summer research cohort to discuss and learn from one another, and this year, our annual summer
research poster session showcased 53 students, including 9 from outside natural science disciplines, and two
students presenting international projects. Our Student Scholar Spotlight video series raises awareness and
showcases innovative student research taking place across campus, and the online instructional video archive of
research instrumentation that I created helps faculty teach best practices to research students while reinforcing
student learning and supporting collaboration across disciplines. We are currently exploring how the video archive can
be expanded to support inter-institutional collaboration.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Kimberley Frederick
Institution: Skidmore College Chemistry, Saratoga Springs, NY
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): I am currently a Professor and Chair of the
Chemistry Department at Skidmore College. I also serve as shepherd for our science building project. Outside of
Skidmore, I am the chair of the education committee of the ACS Analytical Division
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): In the last five years, I have had
the following funding:
1. Frederick, K.A. (1/10-9/14) “Development and Implementation of an Inquiry-Based, Laboratory-Driven, General
Chemistry Sequence, NSF-CCLI (DUE 0941951), $198,224
2. Frederick, K.A. (1/10-6/13) “MRI-R2: From Molecules to Ecosystems: Establishment of the Skidmore Analytical
Interdisciplinary Laboratory (SAIL)” co-PI, NSF-MRI (DBI 0959476), $547,755
3. Frederick, K.A. (10/06-10/11) “Studies of flow processes in microfluidic systems involving polyelectrolyte
multilayers, thermoresponsive polymers and guanosine gels” Henry Dreyfus Teacher -Scholar Award, $60,000
During my research career, I have secured over $2million dollars in total funding
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*): 1.
S Wang*, R. Ahern*, D. Remillard*, A Newell*, H DeGraaf* and KA Frederick, "Development of an Assay to Detection
D-Lactate in Human Urine" Anal Bioanal Chem under review
2. K.A. Frederick, "Using Forensic Science to Teach Method Development in the Undergraduate Analytical Lab ", Anal
Bioanal Chem 2013, 405, 5623–5626.
3. K.A. Frederick, “The Joys and Pitfalls of Collaboration in the Research Process”, in How to Get Started in Research
ed. M. Schuh, Council on Undergraduate Research, Washington, DC, 2013, 54-57
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): In my capacity as a CUR councilor, I currently chair the Program Review Committee and have
facilitated several of the CUR institutes including Beginning a Research Program in the Natural Sciences at a PUI and
Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research. In that capacity, I have mentored nearly a hundred faculty through the
process of establishing their research programs and submitting their first proposals and manuscripts.
I coordinate the mentoring service for the Chemistry Division which matches faculty at any stage of their careers with
successful mentors. I have also organized and participated in multiple sessions on best practices in undergraduate
research at PittCon and other analytical chemistry meetings.
At Skidmore, I have helped to establish vibrant culture of undergraduate research in my department. I also help
coordinate our summer collaborative research program and advocate for undergraduate research in the strategic
planning process. In the last five years, I have also mentored over 20 students in my research lab and every one of
them has either presented their work at a national meeting or been a co-author on a paper.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words):
My experience and background can contribute to 4 of the 5 pillars:
1. Integrating and Building Undergraduate Research into Curriculum and Coursework: I have been leading an effort in
my department over the last 3 years to incorporate undergraduate research across all of our upper-division courses.
We have recently applied for NSF support to assess the impact of this work on student learning , engagement and
persistence. We are working to understand the common features across the sub-disciplines of chemistry in order
determine a set of best practices for others interested in using their upper level lab courses to advance their research.
2. Assessment of the Impact of Undergraduate Research—Our institution has been assessing our summer
undergraduate research program using the SURE survey from David Lopatto at Grinnell College. We have learned a
number of lessons from this effort.
3. Diversity and Inclusion in Undergraduate Research—My extensive expertise in mentoring easily supports the faculty
development aspects of this pillar. In addition, my department as instituted several initiatives in engaged pedagogy
which has increased the persistence of students from underrepresented minorities in our department. We are in the
process of disseminating that work at this time.
4. Innovation and Collaboration in Undergraduate Research—At several points, I have had very productive research
collaborations with labs at large, research universities and at national labs with support from several funding
mechanisms. I used that information to experience to inform a chapter I wrote for a CUR publication (see above) and a
talk.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Rebecca M. Jones
Institution: George Mason University, Fairfax, VA
Title: Faculty
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): I am the Assistant Director of the Office of
Student Scholarship Creative Activities and Research at George Mason University . Among other duties, I administrate
two internal grants supporting undergraduate research. I am an affiliate faculty member in the Department of
Chemistry, regularly teaching General Chemistry for Engineers and mentoring students.
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): I was Senior Personnel on a
successful NSF-MRI grant ($196,277.00) and received nine internal research grants (totaling $58,700) at Austin Peay
State University (APSU).
I was co-Principle Investigator for a NSF-sponsored cCWCS (Chemistry Collaborations, Workshops & Communities
of Scholars) grant “Implementing iPads in the Chemistry Curriculum” ($15790, renewed $9500). I organized and ran
two workshops for 59 faculty in 2013.
I was selected to participate in the 2014-2016 Elon University Center for Engaged Learning Seminar on Mentoring
Undergraduate Research, which led to the formation of a multi-institutional research team.
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*):
“Assessing Faculty Perspectives on Undergraduate Research: Implications from Studies of Two Faculties”, Rebecca
M. Jones and Shannon Davis, CUR Quarterly, Volume 34, Issue 3, 2014.
"Introducing chemical research to undergraduates: A survey course for sophomores and juniors", Chapter 7 in
Developing and Maintaining a Successful Undergraduate Research Program, Timothy W. Chapp and Mark A.
Benvenuto, Eds. ACS Symposium Series Vol. 1156, (ISBN13: 9780841229280, DOI: 10.1021/bk-2013-1156), American
Chemical Society, 2013, pp 81-90.
“Orbiting a Nucleus as a Team”, Rebecca M. Jones and Ashley S. McNeill*, Perspectives on Undergraduate Research
Mentoring, Vol 2.1, http://blogs.elon.edu/purm/files/2012/10/PURM-2.1-Jones-and-McNeill.pdf, Accessed October 16,
2014.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): While earning tenure as a chemistry faculty member at APSU, I supervised ten undergraduate
students and published one peer-reviewed manuscript with a student co-author. I created the Office of Undergraduate
Research and was appointed Director, where I secured funding for a new summer program, increased the existing
Presidential Research Scholars Program, and expanded the annual Research Forum.
After moving to Mason, I designed the Undergraduate Student Travel Fund and created the Undergraduate Research
Scholars Program (URSP), which provides $225,000 annually for undergraduate research. While running these
programs, I also chair a multi-disciplinary advisory committee of faculty, staff and students and administrate two annual
Celebrations of Student Scholarship.
For the past 5 years, I have attended every CUR National and Undergraduate Research Program Directors Meetings
and given oral and/or poster presentations at a majority. I presented a talk at the 245 th National ACS Meeting in New
Orleans, describing an introductory research course for chemistry students that I developed at APSU .
At the last two Biennial Conferences on Chemical Education, in July 2012 and August 2014, I organized symposia on
undergraduate research in chemistry. I am co-organizing a similar symposium with Bridget Gourley for the 249th
National ACS Meeting in March 2015.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words):
Since 2010, I have worked to advance research opportunities for undergraduate students. My experience as a research
active chemistry faculty member at a primarily undergraduate institution and an administrative faculty at a
comprehensive research university has given me a valuable perspective that will benefit my peers in CUR.
The development of a research-rich curriculum is a sustaining model for higher education. In my position at George
Mason University, I have worked with select faculty, departments and colleges to develop courses with
research-related learning outcomes.
Assessment and inclusion have been integral to the programs I administrate at Mason, which attract students of all
majors and ranks. The diverse Mason student population regularly informs my programmatic choices and participation
has been expanding. Using assessment data, I am writing an article summarizing the program outcomes to date.
To elucidate the research mentor’s role, I collaborated with Shannon Davis to assess undergraduate research student
experience and perspectives. We are currently evaluating survey and focus group data collected from the past four
semesters at Mason. Formed after the Elon Seminar this July, the new multi-institutional collaboration will be a valuable
network for expanding our work at Mason. This research on mentoring will yield a deeper understanding of the relevant
variables and generate ideas on how to expand participation amongst the faculty.
My experience and interests are complimentary to the CUR Strategic Pillars. Thank you for considering my
qualifications and potential to contribute to the Council on Undergraduate Research and the Division of Chemistry.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Sunghee Lee
Institution: Iona College Chemistry, New Rochelle, NY
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Board of Trustees Endowed Professor in
Science, Professor of Chemistry and Chair
Coordinator of Iona Student Scholars Program
Director of the Careers in Science Program
Coordinator of the Teaching-Circle Program
Coordinator of the Patrick Martin Scholarship in Math and Science Program
PI of the STEP and CSTEP Program
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): The Rising Star Award, 2013, ACS
Women Chemists Committee
The Distinguished Scientist Award, 2013, New York ACS.
NSF-MRI: Acquisition of Confocal Raman Microscope for the Enhancement of Research and Education at Iona College
(2014)
NSF-RUI: Microdroplet Interface Chemistry-Fundamental Studies of Self-Assembled Structures at the Liquid/Liquid
Interface (2012-2016)
NSF-RUI: Role of Surfactant in Monolayer-Directed Crystallization at the Liquid-Liquid Microdroplet Interface
(2009-2012)
NYSED: Iona College Science and Technology Entry Program (2011-2015)
The Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation: Dynamic Video Microscopy in Undergraduate Chemistry Education (2007)
ACS PRF: Fundamental Studies on the Interfacial Properties of Individual Aqueous Microdroplets in Hydrocarbons
(2006-2008)
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*): 1.
Z.Michalak*, M.Muzzio*, P.J.Milianta*, R.Giacomini*, and S. Lee, "Effect of Monoglyceride Structure and Cholesterol
Content on Water Permeability of the Droplet Bilayer", Langmuir, 29 (51), 15919–15925, 2013.
2. Z.Michalak*, D.Fartash*, N.Haque*, and S.Lee, "Tunable Crystallization via Osmosis-Driven Transport Across a
Droplet Interface Bilayer", CrystEngComm., 14, 7865-7868, 2012.
3. Sunghee Lee and Joseph Wiener*, "Visualizing Microdroplet Fluidic Reactions One Droplet at a Time", J. Chem.
Edu., 88 (2), 151-157, 2011.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): I have strong track record of integrating undergraduate research and education. These efforts are
highlighted as media apperances: NSF "The right chemistry: NSF-funded researcher mixes mentoring and materials
science" http://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=132732
• NSF RUI Grant: Support Undergraduate Research Activity ~400K.
• Undergraduate co-authors in seven Peer-reviewed article and over 100 conference presentations by
undergraduates.
• 24 undergraduate research participants (15 female) and one high-school student have graduated, with 14 students
(10 female) in postgraduate programs (MD, PhD, etc.), 5 student in MS programs, 1 student in teaching chemistry and
3 in industry. Currently there are 15 undergraduates (8 female) and 1 high-school students.
• Coordinator of Undergraduate Research Day: Established campus-wide undergraduate research, which under my
direction for the past five years has grown to encompass nearly every department in the College.
• PI for the STEP and CSTEP Program: recruiting and retaining students from underrepresented group through
educational and research activities to prepare students to be competitive in obtaining a successful career in STEM field
• Coordinator of Careers in Science Program: Provide advisement for science career including undergraduate
scholarly activities.
• Undergraduate Honors Thesis Advisor: Ten Honors Thesis have been completed and five honors thesis are
currently being advised.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words): I
have engaged a large number of undergraduate students in research and demonstrated that it is truly possible to
integrate education and research at the undergraduate level. (http://www.iona.edu/faculty/slee)
I also have a leadership role for student scholars program at my college; I design and coordinate various programs for
development of student scholarly activities across the campus including the annual Research Day and conference
participation (such as NCUR). I established a peer-mentoring program in my research laboratory which expanded to
the department level. As a coordinator of Teaching Circles, I facilitate regular gatherings of faculty members to lead
dialogues related to integrating and building undergraduate research into curriculum and coursework. In addition, as a
PI for the STEP and CSTEP program, I am actively engaged in recruiting and retaining underrepresented students
through educational and research activities to prepare students to be competitive in obtaining a successful career. It
will be my privilege as a CUR Councilor to devote my energy and experience to create new programs and provide
services to a large CUR community to advocate the significance of undergraduate research. My past experience and
track record in integration of undergraduate research and education will be invaluable to my membership on the CUR
Council. I am fully committed to continue establishing a balanced combination of research and education of a large
number of students at predominantly undergraduate institutions and wish to bring my enthusiasm and motivation to the
wider academy to replicate this success.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Anderson L. Marsh
Institution: Lebanon Valley College, Annville, PA
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Lebanon Valley College: Associate Professor of
Chemistry, Faculty Adviser to Chemistry Honor Society, Faculty and Student Policies Committee, Academic Affairs
Committee of the Board of Trustees
American Chemical Society: Division of Chemical Education Program Committee, CHED Program Co-Chair for ACS
Spring 2015 Meeting, Past Chair of Southeastern PA ACS Section
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): 2013 – 2016, ACS Petroleum
Research Fund Type UR, “Selectivity Control in Aqueous Phenol Hydrogenation Using Palladium Nanocatalysts ,”
$65,000
2008 – 2010, Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award, “Elementary Photoreactions for the Synthesis of
Amino Acids on a Model Interstellar Surface,” $44,820
2007 – 2010, National Science Foundation Research in Undergraduate Institutions, “Selectivity Control in Ketone
Hydrogenation on Nanoscale Platinum Catalysts,” $144,600
Thomas Rhys Vickroy Distinguished Teaching Award, Lebanon Valley College
E. Emmet Reid Award in Chemistry Teaching at Small Colleges, ACS Middle Atlantic Region
ten peer-reviewed publications and over sixty conference presentations
twelve students entered Ph.D. programs upon graduation
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*):
Weilnau, J. N.*; Black, S. E.*; Chehata, V. J.*; Schmidt, M. P.*; Holt, K. L.*; Carl, L. M.*; Straka, C. J.*; Marsh, A. L.;
Patton, W. A.; Lappas, C. M. ZnS Nanocrystal Cytotoxicity Is Influenced by Capping Agent Chemical Structure and
Duration of Time in Suspension. J. Appl. Toxicol. 2013, 33, 227–237.
Musselwhite, N. E.*; Wagner, S. B.*; Manbeck, K. A.*; Carl, L. M.*; Gross, K. M.*; Marsh, A. L. Activity and Selectivity of
Colloidal Platinum Nanocatalysts for Aqueous Phase Cyclohexenone Hydrogenation . Appl. Catal., A 2011, 402,
104–109.
Porambo, M. W.*; Howard, H. R.*; Marsh, A. L. Dopant Effects on the Photocatalytic Activity of Colloidal Zinc Sulfide
Semiconductor Nanocrystals for the Oxidation of 2-Chlorophenol. J. Phys. Chem. C 2010, 114, 1580–1585.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): Over the last five years, I have collaborated with a total of fourteen undergraduate students during
our annual summer research sessions that average eight to ten weeks. Many of these students returned for
subsequent summers and have also carried out research during the academic year as independent studies. I have
also guided nine students through the senior capstone course for our ACS-certified degree. Furthermore, in recent
years I have shared administrative responsibility for this course in terms of reviewing and grading all student research
proposals and theses, as well as organizing departmental seminars each semester of student speakers and outside
speakers from Ph.D. programs, local businesses, and government agencies. In addition to these departmental
presentations, our research activities have resulted in eight peer-reviewed publications and thirty conference
presentations at regional and national scientific meetings by myself and my undergraduate co-authors, with two
students winning awards for their poster presentations. Finally, six of the students I have mentored in research over
the last five years have entered Ph.D. programs in chemistry.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words):
While serving as a CUR councilor, I would use my experiences, those as both a faculty member and an undergraduate
student, to inform my decision making when addressing issues related to undergraduate research. At Lebanon Valley,
I have worked to integrated research experiences into courses, from designing a first year lab experience, similar to my
own as a student, which simulates an individual research project, culminating each semester with the presentation of a
poster on the project. As one of the faculty running the senior capstone course for our ACS-certified degree, I have
helped to shape the experience for the students to resemble a year-long research project which includes a proposal,
student seminars, and a final report. These two experiences are bridged by summer and academic year independent
projects carried out by students under the supervision of individual faculty. In addition, I have been proactive in seeking
industrial internships for my research students when appropriate. With all of these experiences I have been sensitive
to increasing the participation of a wide audience of students, as well as tailoring the experiences to meet the needs of
diverse learners, such as non-traditional students. Moreover, within my department I have also been involved in
assessing various aspects of these experiences to improve both student learning outcomes and our program. As a
CUR councilor, I would work to create opportunities at workshops and conferences for faculty to explore integrating
research based learning into their curricula to meet the needs of a variety of students.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Chavonda Mills
Institution: Georgia College & State University Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy, Milledgeville, GA
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Georgia College
Department of Chemistry, Physics & Astronomy
2014 - Present, Kaolin Endowed Chair of Science
2012 - Present, Chemistry Program Coordinator
2011 - Present, Associate Professor of Chemistry
2006 – 2011, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): 2013-2014 “Promoting and
Sustaining a Culture of Undergraduate Research among Chemistry Majors”, Undergraduate Research and Creative
Endeavors Grant, Georgia College, $7,500.00.
2013, "Utilizing SDS-PAGE in a Research-Based Undergraduate Biochemistry Lab", National Science Foundation
cCWCS grant, $2,000.00.
Co-Facilitator, NSF Division of Undergraduate Education Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement program,
cCWCS. Using the Climate Debate to Revitalize General Chemistry, two-day miniworkshop, Charlotte, NC, June
12-June 15, 2014.
Mills, C.; Mateeva, N.; Redda, K.K., “Synthetic Flavonoids and Pharmaceutical Compositions and the Therapeutic
Methods of Treatment of HIV Infection and Other Pathologies”, Issued: November 20, 2012; Patent Number 8314143.
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*):
Metzker, Julia; Mills, Chavonda; Richards, Rosalie. Sustaining a Culture of Undergraduate Research through Robust
Faculty Evaluation Processes. CUR Quarterly, in press Spring 2015.
Mills, Chavonda; Metzker, Julia; Richards, Rosalie. Undergraduate Research as Pedagogy: Promoting and Sustaining
a Culture of Undergraduate Research among Chemistry Majors. In Potts, G. ed., Addressing the Millennial Student:
New Pedagogy and Approaches to Improve Student Learning Outcomes in Undergraduate Chemistry ; ACS Books, in
press 2015.
Kranzlein, A.*, Newman, O.*, Mills, C. J., Design and synthesis of novel flavonoid derivatives as acetylcholinesterase
inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. 247th ACS National Meeting and Exposition, American Chemical
Society, Houston, Texas, March 2014.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): Over the past five years, I mentored nineteen undergraduate research (UR) students and facilitated
over 30 UR oral or poster presentations at professional scientific conferences. Furthermore, as a testament to my UR
mentoring, I was the recipient of the 2013 Georgia College UR Mentor award. In 2013, I was the PI on our chemistry
program’s Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors (URaCE) grant: Promoting and Sustaining a Culture of
Undergraduate Research among Chemistry Majors. The grant proposal was awarded $7,500.00 and the project aimed
to address concerns about our UR program by initiating a comprehensive study of our students and faculty. To keep
myself abreast of developments in UR, I actively participate in research conferences and professional development
workshops on a regular basis. For example, I've served as an invited symposium panelist during our university UR
Symposium for the past two years. As an attendee at the 2013 CUR Dialogues in Washington, DC, I was able to
gather information about grant opportunities in research and education and receive instruction on the development of
grant proposal writing skills. The skills gained from the workshop attendance allowed for the successful submission
and funding of two grants, NSF cCWCS and Georgia College URaCE grants.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words): I
have extensive experience in the design, implementation, and assessment of models focused on building and
sustaining a culture of undergraduate research (UR). As principal investigator of a UR project, I led a collaborative
team of STEM faculty members in the development of a comprehensive study of student attitudes towards participating
in research early in their undergraduate career. The project objectives spanned two academic years culminating with a
strategic plan for sustaining the chemistry UR program. In the role of chemistry program coordinator, I led the revision
of our program goals to focus on the incorporation of high- impact pedagogy and innovations in teaching in an effort to
engage and support students in the practice of UR. The program now offers a variety of courses which integrate UR as
well as a myriad of extracurricular activities that support student success through UR. Furthermore, I led the
development of an evaluation rubric aligned with the revised program goals which allows for the assessment of the
impact of UR on student performance and faculty success. The aforementioned models designed and implemented
under my leadership provide a clear roadmap for a robust UR program and are easily transferable to other institutions
and disciplines. As the Kaolin Endowed Chair of Science, I've formed collaborations with university and community
organizations to offer courses, teacher professional development institutes, curriculum development, research
experiences, scientific competitions, science and math camps and community events, all of which attract a diverse
group of participants, particularly from underrepresented groups within the community.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Hector Palencia
Institution: University of Nebraska at Kearney Chemistry, Kearney, NE
Title: Associate Professor
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Affiliation: University of Nebraska at Kearney.
Noteworthy positions:
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry/ BSU 2006-2009.
Treasurer, Nebraska ACS Local section.
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): I am actively involved seeking
external funding. Research Corporation funded my first grant. This grant allowed me to purchase an equipment
essential for research in my group. Catalysts supported on nanoparticles is another area of interest in my group, we
needed an electronic microscope. I and other faculty wrote a proposal which was funded by the State of Nebraska
through “Nebraska Research Initiative” to purchase the instrument. I also had participated as a reviewer in panels for
National Science Foundation.
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*): 1.
“Investigation of desilylation in the recognition mechanism to fluoride by a 1,8-naphthalimide derivative”, Jeeun Woo*,
Gunwoo Kim*, Kevanie Quintero*, Michael P. Hanrahan*, Hector Palencia and Haishi Cao Org. Biomol.Chem., 2014,
12, 8275- 8279.
2. “Room temperature synthesis of glycerol carbonate catalyzed by N-heterocyclic carbenes without solvent”, Bitni H.
Hervert*, Patrick D. McCarthy*, Hector Palencia. Tet. Lett., 2014, 55, 133–136.
3. “An N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium-η3-allyl chloride complex for the Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of aryl
halides”, Noland W. Broekemier*, Noah C. Broekemier*, Hector Palencia, Randall T. Short*. European Journal of
Chemistry, 2014, 5(1), 162-166. DOI: 10.5155/eurjchem.5.1.162-166.940.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): My group has an average number of 5 students during the academic year and two during the
summer. I assign a project to each of my students. I take them to Regional or National meetings where they present
their research. They also present it in our campus during the student research day. One of my students have also
presented at Posters on the Hill. I look for funding for my students, either from internal and external sources. As a
member of the local ACS section I had promoted the support of our section for undergraduate research in the state . I
have been recruiting freshman students in the last 5 years and also involving underrepresented students. The research
experience had a positive impact in their careers. Most of them are at professional programs of health science.
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words):
We live a time where creativity is key for the success of undergraduate research . Creativity helps us to maximize
results with our resources enhancing the undergraduate research experience. I work with underrepresented students
in my lab and even with High School Students. I keep collaborations with other faculty in other campus and participate
in the design of policies to support undergraduates through our ACS local section . I am working in the design of a
course about the chemistry of biofuels from natural resources, which will use the experience I gather from my lab to
bring it into the undergraduate curricula. I had also working with Nebraska Soybean board, a non-profit organization. My
experience can be useful to the CUR strategic pillars in the areas of “Diversity and Inclusion in Undergraduate
Research” by finding ways to reach and involve underrepresented faculty and institutions for example through
workshops, collaborations, contact them and help them to apply for funding, organize their labs. My experience can be
also useful in the area of “Innovation and Collaboration in Undergraduate Research” by bringing my experience in
collaborations. Being born in another country where international collaborations are critical give me experience about
building bridges with other institutions abroad; this experience can be useful in “Internationalization and Undergraduate
Research”.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Joseph J Reczek
Institution: Denison University, Granville, OH
Title: Associate Professor
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Associate Prof., Denison University, Granville,
OH.
Academic Affairs Council, 2011-2013 (vice chair, 2013)
Organizer of summer research colloquia, Chemistry, 2010-present
STEM advisory Council, The Works Museum, Newark, OH.
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): National Science Foundation,
"RUI: Developing Organic Photoconductive Materials through Modular Design of Self-Assembling Components"
$200,000, 8/12 - 7/15.
Petroleum Research Fund, "Aromatic donor-acceptor organocatalysis: noncovalent activation of aryl halides in green
palladium cross-coupling reactions" $65,000, 1/13 - 8/16
Special Grant Program in the Chemical Sciences, The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, “Inspiring the Future: A
Cooperative Approach to Increasing Regional Education, Exploration, and Opportunities with the Chemistry of Energy”
$34,000, 6/11 – 6/13.
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*): 1.
Thompson, A.*; Grimm, H.*; McKnight, K.*; Reczek, J. J. “Efficient microwave assisted synthesis of key
core-substituted naphthalene diimide intermediates” Submitted
2. Leight, Katie R.*; Esarey, Brooke E.*; Gray Be, A.*; Murray, Alex E.*; Reczek, Joseph J. “Modular and Predictable
Tuning of Absorption Properties in Aromatic Donor-Acceptor Materials” Chem. of Mater. 2012, 24, 3318-3328.
3. Reczek, Joseph J.; Kennedy, Aimee A.*; Halbert, Brian T.*; Urbach, Adam R. “Multivalent Recognition of Peptides by
Modular Self-Assembled Receptors” J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2009, 131, 2408-2415.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): Over the past five years, I have continually maintained a research group of 4-8 undergraduates, both
during semesters for credit and full-time during the summers. In total, I have mentored over 20 researchers in that
time. I have driven department efforts to recruit students early in their college careers ; over 60% of my students are
recruited as sophomores, and the vast majority continue in research throughout their college career. I work at creating
a positive and inclusive research culture in the department, including organizing weekly summer research lunches,
summer colloquium, and a research trip, as well as participating in ‘science game nights’ over the summer . The vast
majority of my students present posters at national scientific meetings, and I have been working with our career office
on programing for students to take advantage of networking opportunities there.
I have also worked with students on attaining REU and other research experiences, awards such as the UNCF/Merck
Undergraduate Science Research scholar, and have been the advisor on three Fulbright Science Scholarships for
students to do research in Germany, The Netherlands, and France.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words): In
addition to development of inquiry-based learning labs for Denison’s curriculum, my courses incorporate student-driven
research components. In introductory classes students develop thesis questions on a topic of their choosing, and then
research how those questions can be investigated, and why they should be investigated. In upper level classes
students develop formal research proposals, with the charge of designing and carrying out initial experiments to get
‘preliminary results’ for under $150. I have been thrilled with the personal buy-in that this has generated in students,
and with this model in mind our department has lobbied for increased funding of these labs. I am interested in working
to develop resources that support successful integration of student-driven research at various levels in the Chemistry
curriculum.
Early curriculum research experience is also an excellent way to identify and proactively engage students with a spark
for research. This can be effective for engaging traditionally underrepresented students early on , many of who are less
prepared, but not less creative or excited about science. I have recruited three such students to my own research
group through this, and I strongly believe in enhanced persistence of underrepresented individuals through early and
proactive engagement in research with faculty.
I am engaged in collaborations at Penn State and Michigan, made possible through conference interactions. CUR can
play an exciting role in fostering meetings of undergraduate researchers, not just students. In particular I see
opportunities to invigorate and aid mid-career faculty to stay engaged after the tenure push.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Dr. Silvia Ronco
Institution: Research Corporation, Tucson, AZ
Title: Program Officer
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): I am currently a Program Director for Research
Corporation for Science Advancement where I direct the Cottrell College and Cottrell Scholar programs . Both programs
emphasize the importance of undergraduate research and are aimed at helping early career faculty in chemistry,
Physics and Astronomy establish their research programs.
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): As Program Director for a private
foundation, I am in the business of giving grants. However, I was recently a co-PI of an NSF grant, “Scialog: A Program
of Scientific Research and Dialog”, 2011, $100,000. In my role as a program director for the Cottrell Scholar program, I
have served as the chair of our annual Cottrell Scholar Conference (2011-current) and have helped launch the Cottrell
Scholar Collaborative, a network of young Chemistry faculty who work together in topics relevant to undergraduate
education (including undergraduate research) and the New Faculty Workshop for Chemists (co-sponsored by the
American Chemical Society).
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*): 1.
“Facilitating 21st Century Science,” Panel Member, ACS Postdoc to Faculty Workshop, ACS National Meeting, San
Francisco, August 8, 2014.
2. “Writing Competitive Research Proposals,” Ronco, S., Getting Started in Undergraduate Research, Merle Schuh
ed., Council on Undergraduate Research, Washington DC, (2012), book chapter.
3. “Creating Future Science: The Role of Private Foundations in Shaping Research Activities at PUIs,” Ronco, S.,
Transformative Research at Predominately Undergraduate Institutions, Kerry Karukstis and Nancy Hensel ed., Council
on Undergraduate Research (2010), book chapter.
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): My daily job is intimately related with generating opportunities for undergraduate research activities.
Both Cottrell College and Cottrell Scholar programs have strong undergraduate research components and offer
financial support for undergraduate researchers. In addition, I have advocated for undergraduate research opportunities
as a current Councilor for both the American Chemical Society Division of Inorganic Chemistry and the CUR Chemistry
Division. I have also served a term as the Chair of the Chemistry Division and member of the EBoard ( 2011-2013). I
also served as a member and chair of the Characteristics of Excellence in Undergraduate Research (COEUR) Task
Force and I am currently serving a term as elected EBoard General Representative. I have been a regular presenter at
the CUR Dialogues meetings, the CUR/YCC workshop for new faculty starting careers at primarily undergraduate
institutions and I was a presenter at the 2014 ACS Postdoc to Faculty Workshop – among many other presentations
and activities.
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words): I
have gained extensive expertise in topics related to higher education and scientific research from my positions as a
Professor of Chemistry, a Program Director at a private foundation and as a member of the governance of two
professional organizations, CUR and the American Chemical Society. In my RCSA position, I have worked directly and
networked extensively in topics intimately related with integrating research into the curriculum, diversifying the
Chemistry workforce (students and faculty), promoting better ways of assessing teaching and learning, and developing
programs that catalyze innovation and collaborations globally. My extensive expertise together with my deep knowledge
of the PUI and the R1 Chemistry community makes me an ideal candidate to continue serving CUR as a Chemistry
councilor.
Chemistry Division
Nominee: Prof. Jennifer Swift
Institution: Georgetown University Chemistry, Washington, DC
Title: Associate Professor
Institutional affiliation and noteworthy positions (limit 50 words): Georgetown Univ, Assistant Prof 1999-2005,
Associate Prof 2005-
Co-director - NSF-REU program, 2006-
Member - US National Committee for Crystallography, 2006-2011
Faculty in Residence - Georgetown Villa le Balze (Italy), 2011
College Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching, 2005
Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, 2004
NSF CAREER Award, 2001
Noteworthy grants received/professional accomplishments: (limit 100 words): NSF-DMR (1306247) “Doping
Molecular Hydrates” $420,000 (6/1/13 - 5/31/16)
DTRA “Template-Directed Crystallization of High Energy Materials” $635,544 (12/07-5/13)
NSF-CHE (0809684) “Growth & Transformation of Uric Acid Crystal Phases” $335,100 (9/08 -8/12)
NSF-CHE (1429079) “MRI: Acquisition of an Integrated Raman Microscope” $196,444 (8/1/14-7/31/17) role: PI
NSF-DMR (0923316) “MRI: Acquisition of Light Scattering Instrumentation for Nanoparticle Characterization” $108,596
(9/09-9/13) role: Co-PI.
NSF-CHE (1156788) “REU Site: Chemistry Research at Georgetown University” $300,000 (9/15/12- 9/14/15) Prior
awards: (CHE 0851581) 5/09-4/12; (CHE 0552586) 05/06-05/09 role: Co-PI.
The Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, “Georgetown Beckman Scholars Research Program” $115,800
(3/08-3/11) role: Co-PI.
Relevant publications or presentations (limit 3)Highlight any undergraduate co-authors with an asterisk (*):
Janeth B. Presores, Katherine E. Cromer*, Christina Capacci-Daniel and Jennifer A. Swift, “Calcium Urate
Hexahydrate,” Crystal Growth & Design, 13 (12), 5162-5164 (2013).
Clare M. Perrin, Mark A. Dobish*, Edward Van Keuren, and Jennifer A. Swift, “Monosodium Urate Monohydrate
Crystallization,” CrystEngComm, 13 (4), 1111 – 1117 (2011).
Amanuel Z. Zellelow, Kristin A. Cox*, Dorothy A. Fink*, Catherine E. Ford*, Kun-Hae Kim*, Ryan E. Sours and Jennifer
A. Swift, “Doping Uric Acid Crystals. 2. Anhydrous Uric Acid,” Crystal Growth & Design, 10 (8), 3348-3354 (2010).
In what professional activities related to undergraduate research have you engaged over the last five years?
(limit 200 words): In my 15 years at Georgetown, I have mentored 39 undergraduate research students, 15 in the past
5 years. Most of these students worked in the lab for multiple semesters and/or including a summer. Many have
presented posters at national meetings and co-authored papers.
Undergraduates perform research at a very high level in my lab. The majority of undergraduates over the past 5 years
have gone on to MD programs. However, recent lab alumni currently include an IRTA Postbaccalaurate researcher at
NIH, a Fulbright Fellow who is teaching /researching in Taiwan, and students in MS Biochemistry, MS Chemical
Engineering, PhD Chemistry, PhD Biochemistry programs.
I have also co-directed (with Sarah Stoll) our Chemistry REU program since 2006. This program has to date involved
72 researchers from other colleges and universities. The early years of this program were intensive and required
developing professional development workshop materials, recruiting research mentors, etc. We regularly receive
200-250 applications a year. From the very beginning, we made it a priority to recruit first-generation students (and this
was back before anyone was talking about that population). Our record for including minorities is also excellent.
Chemistry Division
CUR has articulated five “strategic pillars” (listed below) to guide its work in the coming years. Describe
how your experience/knowledge could be of value to the mission of the Council broadly. (limit 250 words): I
recognize that members of the CUR council are typically from PUIs. My understanding is that there was some interest
in expanding the base of faculty to include those who attempt to balance graduate and undergraduate missions.
Of the five pillars, my biggest interest is in diversity and inclusion, which I think is strongly coupled to innovation and
collaboration between institutions. The financial constraints of acquiring and maintaining specialized equipment and
the nature of the scientific questions being asked require this kind of thinking, both at R1 and PUI institutions alike. For
example, I believe the REU program would be a much more powerful agent for building research capacity if we could
find a way to give students particular research skills that would be specifically beneficial to their home institution. This
has worked in a few cases for us, but I suspect more could be done. This is just one way to help facilitate new
partnerships between institutions.
As a mid-career person, I also have a very strong desire to help mentor younger faculty. I had the benefit of some very
good mentors outside of Georgetown who helped me in my early years as an assistant professor. On a personal level,
I am keen to engage in conversations with faculty from different types of institutions to hear about their joys and
frustrations as I try to better define for myself what the next phase of my career should look like.