Eco-friendly molecule making
Do you want to do chemistry that is good and beautiful, green and clever? Do you want to be a legit molecule maker? Join us! We are developing eco-friendly reactions to rapidly create organic molecules in surprising ways: new bonds, new rings, and more! Some of our targets have relevance to medicinal chemistry, and we prioritize using biorenewable materials and mild conditions. This semester, we are looking to adapt a new reaction method into one or two new experiments for our organic laboratory course.
Essay prompt (please address the following in 1-2 paragraphs):
- What interests you in the project? Include a question or two about this research article we are adapting for a teaching lab.
- What experience do you have with organic chemistry, laboratory research, or scientific writing?
- What do you hope to get out of this research experience? What are your career goals?
- What is your availability this fall on Thursdays 1:15-5:15 and on Fridays 11-12 and 1:15-5:15? (One of those afternoons would need to be available for research, and our research group meetings are Fridays 11-12.)
You will get to be part of a fun research group, planning research strategies, learning new lab techniques, making brand-new molecules, characterizing your products with a variety of instrumental methods (NMR, IR, MS, TLC, UV-Vis, possibly X-ray), and communicating your results informally and formally. It is very good preparation for graduate school or similar endeavors. You may also get to present your work at a conference and/or contribute to a journal publication!