Research Opportunities
Organometallic Research
The UWise Research students are working on the chemical synthesis project. They carry out a multi-step synthesis of a new molecule that works as a sensor for a trace amount of specific ions in solution.
Senior mentor shows the freshman mentee how to set up a chemical reaction under nitrogen atmosphere.
The mentee student records experimental details in her lab notebook.
Engineering Research
An opportunity for Engineering Studies students to
- study various types of natural and synthetic polymers.
- understand the scientific basis of polymers by synthesizing, characterizing and analyzing their properties in the laboratory.
- appreciate the role of polymers in real life and use them with respect and responsibility.
UWise Mentor: “Excellent opportunity to gain deeper understanding of the sciences in cool, fun and engaging way!”
UWise Mentee: “I learned to be a team member. We work as a group and every member has a role in the project.”
Ultrasonication Research
Ultrasound-promoted Hydroxylation of Fullerenes
Opportunity to
- use high intensity acoustic (sound) energy to carry out a chemical reaction by creating small vacuum bubbles which collapse violently during compression to create very high local temperatures.
- work with C60 and C70 compounds that have applications in astrochemistry, superconductivity and materials chemistry and physics.
Antioxidant Research
The Antioxidant Capacity of Phenols
- Antioxidants are a diverse group of chemicals that includes the class of compounds called polyphenols.
- The effects of dietary polyphenols are of current interest due to their ability to protect our bodies.
- This study will help us understand the anti-oxidative properties of polyphenols and determine structural features important for maintaining anti-oxidative properties.
UWise students preparing solutions and using the spectrophotomer to determine the antioxidant capacity of substituted phenols.
Biology Research
Employing functional genomics to identify novel genes that play a role in photo-protective mechanisms under high light stress in the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.
Our research laboratory has isolated 95 high light sensitive mutants. The goals of this research are to:
(a) perform secondary and tertiary screening of the 95 mutants isolated from the primary screen to confirm and better characterize the specific phenotypes,
(b) elucidate pigment composition in at least one of the pigment deficient mutants.
UWiseMentee: This research experience clarifies a lot of my “theoretical concepts” in Biology and Chemistry through hands-on techniques in a lab setting. It also helps me understand that what makes “research” an exciting experience, in spite of the occasional tedious “trouble shooting”, is that one does not know what one is going to discover from the research ,at the end!!!