May 28 to August 2, 2013

         Undergraduates interested in research are invited to apply for our 2013 NSF-REU program in Chemistry and Biochemistry.  The REU student participants will work closely with a faculty mentor, while interacting with other faculty, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, other undergraduate research students and each other.  The research projects span a wide range of disciplines across the Chemistry Department, including bio-inorganic, bio-analytical and biochemistry, computational chemistry, physical chemistry, organic synthesis and environmental studies.  The faculty mentors treat the student participants as research colleagues, with the expectation that the summer research project will lead to a publication and be presented at scientific meetings.  Since oral and written communication skills are vital, the REU program will conclude with a Student Symposium in which each student will give a poster presentation and also submit a written report describing their results.  Weekly presentations by faculty will introduce the students to a wide range of research areas, expanding their understanding of the relevance of chemistry to real-world problems.  Other topics for the weekly seminars will include the graduate school application process, employment opportunities in chemical industry and how industrial research differs from an academic setting.  The overall goal is to develop a vibrant intellectual community of chemistry scholars that provides a network of support for their continued involvement in research.

         Undergraduate researchers will receive a stipend of $4,500 plus a $1,500 housing allowance or housing in a Loyola dormatory for the 10-week program. In addition there is a $500 travel allowance to attend a scientific meeting within the next academic year.

         Applications will be due March 1, with students notified of their acceptance by late March.  You should select your preferred mentor(s) at the time of application based on descriptions of research projects given on this website.  The 10-week REU program will start on late May.

         A number of non-research activities will also be available, including trips to the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory, the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History and the Taste of Chicago food festival.  Other social events will be scheduled according to student interests, such as a Chicago Cubs baseball game or a trip to the Art Institute of Chicago.