Project Title:
Interdisciplinary Research Experience for Chemistry, Biology and Environmental and Technological Studies Undergraduates
Project Director and Other Associated Faculty and Staff:
Lakshmaiah Sreerama, Professor of Chemistry, St. Cloud State Univ., Contact: isreerama@stcloudstate.edu, Tel.:(320)308-2080
Mohammad Mahroof-Tahir, Asst. Prof. of Chemistry, St. Cloud State Univ., Contact: mmahroof@stcloudstate.edu, Tel.: (320)308-3198
Project Design:
As a result of past CTL grants, SCSU created an Interdisciplinary Research Course (IRC) which involved undergraduate students and faculty from Chemistry and Biology disciplines in hands-on research projects. This project was designed to allow for continuation of the IRC and expanding the number of participants (including increasing number of students from underrepresented groups), expanding the research areas, introducing a research symposium, developing a website, and introducing systematic evaluation.
Project Evaluation and Outcomes:
The IRC has been continued with a current enrollment of 19 students (previously 10 students participated) who are working on 5 major research projects. During 2004-2005 year, 12 students made presentations at the Undergrad. Research Colloquium and students participated in a special symposium. At an open meeting to inform students and faculty of IRC, 35 students and 12 faculty attended which resulted in 34 students applying to the program. Meetings of students enrolled in IRC are held monthly where students share their research findings. Students have made presentations of their findings at Undergraduate Research Conference in 2005 and students are being encouraged to consider presentations at national scientific conferences.
Lessons Learned, Dissemination and Sustainability
Students are proud of their accomplishments and several of the students have changed their career goals and are now planning attending graduate education in the sciences and their comments state that this is due to the IRC. Faculty have found a purpose to “join hands” and engage in collaborative research. Results of this project have been used to provide data to support a NSF grant proposal which was approved in 2005 (however lack of adequate funding prevented SCSU from obtaining NSF funds).
Continued success of the IRC is expected to last for years to come.
