BSURF Summer Undergraduate Research at U Iowa

The BSURF program is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate students to gain hands-on experience in an active research laboratory, under the direction of an established scientist, in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Iowa.

BSURF provides students with:
• Full-time, hands-on research in biochemistry and related topics (molecular, cellular, developmental,
computational and structural biology, model system genetics)
• Enrichment activities, including weekly seminars and workshops on graduate school and careers in https://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/biochemistry/education/undergraduate-program/summer-undergraduate-researchscience
• The opportunity to present findings in a campus-wide poster session
• Planned social outings
• A $4,250 stipend
• Free summer housing in a dormitory on the University of Iowa campus.

Students who are eligible for the BSURF program:
• Have completed at least two years of college in a biological science (or related) major
• Will be returning for at least one year of undergraduate study before graduation
• Are interested in pursuing graduate school and a career in biological research

Prior research experience is not a requirement. BSURF is open to students from anywhere in the United States and is especially beneficial for students with limited access to research opportunities at their home institution.

The online application will be available to students starting on December 2, 2019.
Application includes: 1) Completed online application form, 2) Transcript(s) – unofficial copies are acceptable, and 3) two letters of recommendation. All items due on/by February 7, 2020.
The online application and additional information about the BSURF program can be found on our website: https://www.medicine.uiowa.edu/biochemistry/education/undergraduate-program/summer-undergraduate-research

This program seeks to improve diversity in the biological sciences. Disabled students, minority students, and disadvantaged students (economically or first-in-family to attend college) are especially encouraged to apply.

Registration Information for Chemistry Majors

The following elective courses will be available from the Chemistry Department during the upcoming registration period.  These courses offer a variety of popular features such as research experience, biological perspectives on chemical systems, credit or potential credit toward the biomolecular science concentration (student should seek pre-approval for non-listed courses), and ORC or WRI credit.  Note that two of these courses are only offered on an occasional basis (Chem 396 and Chem 391).

Interim:

Chem 252, Organometallic Chemistry (Prof. Marlier):  Students study the structure, bonding, and reactions of compounds containing metal-carbon bonds. Special topics include applications of organometallic chemistry to the synthesis of organic compounds, homogeneous catalysis, and biochemistry. Examples illustrate organometallic chemistry as a bridge between organic and inorganic chemistry. Students use bibliographic and electronic searching software to prepare research papers based on the current literature. Offered during Interim. Prerequisite: CHEM 247.

Chem 360, Medicinal Chemistry (Prof. Hanson):  In this course students gain an appreciation for the drug development process, including how natural products are isolated and utilized as starting points for drug development, how molecular structure relates to biological activity, and how research into the mechanism of disease leads to the targeted development of drugs. Offered alternate years during Interim. Also counts toward biomolecular science concentration. Prerequisite: CHEM 248.

Chem 396, Directed Undergraduate Research (Prof. Schwinefus): This course provides a research experience in the area of unique nucleic acid folding.  Specifically, the research will explore the folding energetics of bulged RNA and G-quadruplexes that are necessary for biological function, but have been implicated in many diseases and cancers.  As a research project, students work in the lab with other students on these projects under faculty supervision.  Students and professor will meet as a group to discuss primary literature pertinent to the research project as well as research progress.  From Prof. Schwinefus:  "Interim is a great time to immerse yourself in a research project when you do not have other courses demanding a significant portion of your time.  If you would like to join this course, please let me know."  If you are not sure, Prof. Schwinefus welcomes a conversation with you about this course.  


Spring:

Chem 386: Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (Prof. Marlier): This course examines how modern theories of chemical bonding are applied to an understanding of the chemistry of the elements of the periodic table. Students explore chemical structures and spectra on the basis of molecular symmetry and group theory. Topics covered include inorganic reactions, chemical periodicity, acid-base systems, coordination compounds, organometallic compounds, nonmetal chemistry, and cluster compounds. This course is particularly recommended to graduate-school bound chemistry students.  Offered annually in the spring semester. Prerequisite: CHEM 248.

Chem 391: Biophysical Chemistry (Prof. Schwinefus):  This course offers ORC GE credit.  Its format is rather unique (see bullets below) and serves as a nice capstone to physical chemistry or upper level chemistry courses.  Past students have really enjoyed the research project during the course.

• Chem 391 carries an ORC GE credit!

• Each student will have a semester long research project of their choice (as approved by Prof. Schwinefus and limited by instrumentation and expense) in the area of biophysical chemistry.  This project will start early in the semester and culminate with a poster presentation on Reading Day aimed at chemistry and biology faculty and students.

• The times listed for the course in SIS are merely placeholders.  Prof. Schwinefus plans on having the class meet once a week for an hour for research presentations.  These oral presentations will evolve during the semester from initial presentations that answer the "Why?" question of research and background theory, to data talks, and finally to presentations that encapsulate the work done during the semester.  Prof. Schwinefus anticipates that students will be presenting every two weeks with a presentation time of 10 minutes.  In this course, students become the instructors as they explain their small slice of biophysical chemistry to their peers.

• During the remainder of the week, students will be working in lab on their projects under the supervision of Prof. Schwinefus.

• Students and professor will meet one-on-one for instructional use of instrumentation, trouble-shooting projects, explanation of necessary background theory, and evaluation of the oral presentations. 

• Evaluation of student performance will include progress on the research project and oral presentations.  There will be no homework sets or exams.

• Prerequisite:  permission of instructor

           As always, Prof. Schwinefus welcomes your inquiries!

Summer Research Positions at Univ. Michigan

ACS Career Day - Minnesota on 12 September!

ACS Career Day Minnesota

 

This year the 8th annual MN-ACS career fair is a daylong event sponsored by National ACS. It will provide programming in the morning about resume building and networking. This will be followed by a networking lunch and the typical employer showcase in the afternoon. Registration is required and free regardless of membership status.  The only exception is 1:1 ACS career consulting which will only be available for members. 

 

8:00 - 8:30        Registration and Breakfast 
8:40 - 11:00      Workshops: Career Transitioning and Resume building

11:05 - 11:30    Leveraging ACS to Build Your Career 
11:35 - 12:00    Networking: How to get started 
12:10 - 1:00      Networking Lunch 
1:00 - 4:00        Employer show case of ~12+ companies and ACS career consulting**

 

 

**ACS career consulting requires ACS membership. Career consulting appointments allow ACS members to schedule 1:1 mock interviews and resume review. A special offer will be going on during the fair where you can save 50% on ACS membership when you join during career day Minnesota.

 

The career fair will be on Thursday, September 12th, 2019 at Saint Catherine University in Saint Paul, MN, in the 3rd floor Ballroom of the Coeur de Catherine Building.

 

Register by September 6th at:  
https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/careers/career-fair/minnesota.html

 

Past companies and organizations that have attended the career fair include: These companies have not confirmed their attendance but are examples of the variety of companies that will be present for the employer showcase.

 

Aerotek, Apex Life Sciences, Experis, H.B. Fuller, Kelly Scientific, Medtronic, Medtox Laboratories, Pace Analytical, Land O'Lakes, Verum Scientific, WuXi AppTec, Minnesota High Tech Forum, University of MN Department of Chemistry, University of MN M.S. in Patent Law, 3M, and others

Speaking of Chemistry - chemists doing cultural preservation

Over the last year, the American Chemical Society has been producing short videos for their Speaking of Chemistry series.  If you want to explore the ways chemical knowledge is applied to a variety of subjects and get additional insight into the different ways those with chemistry training can be employed, I recommend the video series to you.






The latest video takes the audience on an adventure to the Lower Pecos Canyonlands where an array of cultural artifacts, including rock art, are being documented by archaeologists and chemists before they are sufficiently degraded by time and water impoundments on the Rio Grande River.  Watch the episode at this link. 

If you'd like to check out the entire playlist, see the C&EN You Tube channel
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLM2CTqSTy7cTLk-n7SOk9KrwCc1D8KKiH

Applications open - New career pathway program - EnvScience!

The Department of Natural Resources, the Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources have partnered to launch the Increasing Diversity in Environmental Careers program.

The program is geared toward environmentally-minded college students or soon-to-be college students interested in pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or math. It will consist of three parts – a fellowship with stipends to help address financial need and support academic success, a mentorship to connect students with professionals in the field, and an internship to ensure the students have experience in the field before graduation.

Fifteen students will be accepted as part of the first cohort, and will begin the program at the start of the academic year in the fall.

Applicants must be in pursuit of a STEM major with a desire to work in a natural resources or environmental career after graduation; be accepted to or enrolled in a two- or four-year full-time program at an accredited state, community, private or tribal college or university; be willing to commit to the full program; and be authorized to work in the United States.

Preference will be given to racial or ethnic minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, individuals who face barriers to education and employment, first generation college students, first year college students and individuals demonstrating a strong financial need.

The program is funded by the Minnesota Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Application instructions, as well as more information about the program, can be found on the Conservation Corps Minnesota and Iowa website. Applications are open until the cohort is full.

150th anniversary of Mendeleev's Periodic Table

Enjoy these pieces that celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Periodic Table, the first to include all elements known at the time and presented by Dimitri Mendeleev on March 6, 1869.

BBC Science & Environment

150 years of the periodic table: Test your knowledge

 

ACS ChemMatters

The Periodic Table Turns 150

UNESCO

The International Year of the Periodic Table

Science Magazine

"Ordering the Elements" by M. Gordin

Open Internship Positions: Adjunct Fellows with ISGP

If any of you are interested in food production, debates about regulations associated with the food industry, and the science and technology used in innovative plant- and microbial-based procedures and gene-editing underlying new food and ingredient choices for public consumption, then the Adjunct Fellowship (unpaid internship with the Institute on Science for Global Policy) might be well-suited for you.  The internship would begin immediately and take you through the summer - with you playing a key role in an invitation only conference that will debate and generate white papers about the above topics.  It is a unique opportunity that has recently come to our attention.  The turn around time is quick - as ISGP wants to name the fellows as soon as possible so that conference preparation with the interns can happen immediately.  If you have the skills listed for the position, get excited about the responsibilities laid out and the prospect of doing an internship in this kind of way, please talk with Nate Jacobi or me immediately so that you can send an application into ISGP.  We have more details.

Adjunct Fellows

ISGP Innovative Foods and Ingredients Conference (IFI)

June 23-27, 2019 in Minneapolis, MN

The ISGP Adjunct Fellowship begins immediately - and is completed July 21, 2019. Each Adjunct Fellow will be mentored by ISGP staff to (i) develop an in-depth understanding of the science and technology used in innovative plant- and microbial-based procedures and gene-editing underlying new food and ingredient choices for public consumption and (ii) learn how the format of debates and caucuses pioneered by the ISGP facilitates productive engagements among stakeholders with diverse perspectives and priorities to identify real-world, practical outcomes. Adjunct Fellows can anticipate being involved in (i) not-for-attribution interviews with subject matter experts from stakeholder communities representing different aspects of the food supply system, (ii) editing papers prepared for conference debates, and (iii) contributing to staff-wide discussions concerning invitations to participants and their respective conference roles. Each Adjunct Fellow will have access to confidential information obtained from interviews and papers used to organize the IFI conference and will be assigned specific conference duties focused on critiquing debate results, cooperating with ISGP moderators in caucuses to record (scribe) discussions, and helping to assemble and analyze conference results for reports and publications.

Responsibilities:

·       Attend for the duration of the conference June 23-28, including a training session Sunday, June 23 and summary session on June 28, 2019.

·       Act as a scribe for small-group caucuses on June 26, 2019, and the plenary caucus on June 27, 2019.

·       Document and help to refine the language and clarity of the consensus statements formed in your assigned caucus group and at the plenary caucus.

·       Agree to act as a neutral facilitator (i.e., not expressing opinions or taking positions on any subject during the caucuses or conference).

·       Formally commit to maintain the confidentiality of all material, written and oral, presented in the IFI conference as defined by the Chatham House Rule.

·       Conduct oneself with the highest professional standards of dress and behavior.

·       Contribute to the strategic analysis of the diverse attitudes, perspectives, priorities, and values expressed in the debates, caucuses, and informal discussions.

·       Attend all after-hour meetings with the ISGP staff between June 23 and 28.

Qualifications:

·       Experience relevant to the field of innovative foods and ingredients (e.g., food science, food safety, nutrition, agriculture, environmental studies, economics, ethics, chemistry and chemical engineering, science communication).

·       Strong work ethic, sustained focus, and attention to detail.

·       Ability to think broadly and to link diverse concepts presented in the debates and caucuses.

·       Excellent computer and typing skills (G-Docs & G-Sheets).

·       Actively enrolled in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree or higher at the time of the conference.

For full position details and application instructions, please contact Nate Jacobi (jacobi@stolaf.edu) or Paul Jackson (jackson@stolaf.edu).

 

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has posted a Green Chemistry & Engineering internship for recent college STEM graduates (within 6 months of graduation) or active post-grads.  The internship will be hosted by a Minnesota facility this summer of 2019.

Go to https://www.pca.state.mn.us/waste/green-and-safer-product-chemistry-grants and scroll down to Intern application materials to find the form or click this link to download the form directly.  Applications are due by 30 April 2019.

If you have any questions about the internship or applications process, please email them to p2.pca@state.mn.us

2018 intern Abigail Giarrosso, at host remooble's lab

(image courtesy of MN PCA)

Washington State University is recruiting interns for the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) that is connected to the NSF center on Bioplastics and Biocomposites (CB2). This is a great opportunity for students to gain hands on research experience in the fast-growing field of sustainable materials.  This is a unique REU program as the projects are all closely related to industry and have industry mentors that are directly engaged in each project.

The application for Summer 2019 REU program is now open. The application deadline is February 22, 2019.

http://www.cb2.wsu.edu/reu.html.

Since the summer of 2017, the Center for Bioplastics and Biocomposites (CB2), has established a new Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site designed to provide undergraduate students a chance to participate in industry-directed fundamental research opportunities in the fields of bioplastics and biocomposites. The students will gain hands-on experience with synthesis, processing, and characterization of biobased plastics and composite materials.

Each year, 10 students (recruited primarily from academic institutions where research programs in STEM are limited) will work on research conducted by the CB2, with 5 students conducting their research at Washington State University and 5 students doing their research projects at Iowa State University.

During the program, the students will participate in a series of bioplastics short courses, have responsibility for an independent research project performed with state-of-the-art equipment and facilities, and engage with leading industry experts from the Industrial Advisory Board of the CB2.

The students will have a shared, well-defined common focus on sustainable bioplastics and biocomposites that will enable a cohort experience with a common orientation in Ames, IA and debrief in Pullman, WA. The cohort will also be part of a larger community of scholars on both campuses, with the research results showcased at Washington State University in a final poster presentation and symposium.