Current Juniors! Summer Research Experience

The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Southern Mississippi is continuing its Summer Undergraduate Research Experience for undergraduates who will begin their senior year in the fall of 2010. This program is designed to allow undergraduate students from other universities with little or no research experience to conduct graduate-level research on the USM campus in Hattiesburg under the direction of a faculty member in the Department during the summer of 2010. Fellowship recipients will receive a $4,500 stipend for the 10 week summer session and paid on-campus lodging. Supplemental travel funds are available for those traveling long distances. The program is intended for students with an interest in chemistry or biochemistry as a career. Students interested primarily in medical, pharmacy, dental or other pre-professional schools are encouraged to look to those schools for summer opportunities. Please note also that the program is restricted to US citizens and permanent residents.The faculty of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at USM are involved in a variety of research activities in the areas of biochemistry, analytical, inorganic, organic and physical chemistry. Research laboratories in the Johnson Science Tower and Chain Technology Center are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and the faculty are experienced in including undergraduate researchers alongside graduate and postdoctoral fellows in their research teams. Participants will attend weekly research meetings and make a formal presentation at the final minisymposium. Scheduled social activities over the summer will include the opening reception, a Saturday canoe trip, and the ending barbecue held the afternoon after the minisymposium. The students will be provided with an information packet by the Hattiesburg Visitors Bureau listing local and regional activities such as golf courses, Gulf Coast beaches and islands, New Orleans sites and activities, recreational sports, etc. In addition, participants will have access to the USM Payne Center , a nationally recognized fitness center.

For details, or to apply, click on this link to their website.

Interdisciplinary Quantitative Science REU at UNCG

The quantitative science REU program invites you to apply for an exciting summer undergraduate research experience on the beautiful campus of University of North Carolina at Greensboro. You will spend eight weeks (May 31-July 23) working closely with faculty mentors and other undergraduate research students on research projects in mathematics, physics, chemistry or biology. In addition, weekly Professional Development seminars will provide valuable information on topics such as applying to graduate school, preparing an effective presentation, scientific ethics, and more.

Each year, eight (8) students will investigate problems at the intersection of mathematics and the sciences. The stipend for Summer 2010 is $3500, and the program also provides housing in one of UNCG's residence halls. Apply now and come spend your summer building your future!
The deadline for application is Monday February 1st.

Here is a link to the website http://www.uncg.edu/our/idquantreu.html

2010 Internship at Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research

Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research are currently seeking students who are looking for hands on pharmaceutical research experience (June 14th - August 27th, 2010) in the form of a paid, full-time summer internship at our Cambridge, MA location. We have numerous opportunities for students working in the areas of Biology, Chemistry, and the Computer Sciences for students who are interested in gaining experience within the drug discovery field.

Visit their website (http://www.nibr.com/careers/internships_ca.shtml) to learn more about internships and the program. Students may apply directly through a link on the website page by searching intern opportunities. These positions are specific to areas of interest; there will be multiple opportunities within these areas. Application is done through the web site, but you can send inquiries to intern.program@novartis.com.


Currently accepting applications. Student applications due by February 12, 2010-March 1, 2010


Program Overview

The Summer Undergraduate Internship Program in Cambridge, MA (June-August) is a paid, 40-hour per week program for students enrolled at an accredited university. Interns work on their own project under the guidance of a NIBR researcher. Placement may be in a variety of laboratory settings focusing on specific disease areas, pathway discovery, or new technologies. In addition to performing research, interns participate in educational programs to enrich their experience. Interns attend and present at bi-weekly journal club meetings, while a drug discovery seminar series provides exposure to different aspects of pharmaceutical research, and a career panel series provides a glimpse of paths to and within the pharmaceutical industry. At the end of the summer, the interns formally present the results of their summer research at a campus-wide poster session.

A Graduate School Posting sent to the Chemistry Department...

Graduate Research Assistantship NSF-funded project: “Genomic Approaches to Identify Insect Resistance Genes in Poplar Trees”


Applications are invited for graduate student positions (Ph.D. or M.Sc. level) to study plant-insect interactions in the laboratory of Dr. Steven Ralph (www.und.edu/dept/biology/ralph/ralph.htm) at the University of North Dakota (UND). A Graduate Research Assistantship is available immediately to investigate the molecular basis for resistance to insect pests in poplar trees using a forward genetics strategy. This project is funded by a new three year grant from the National Science Foundation. One of the most successful approaches to identify genes responsible for variation in a trait of interest is to produce mutants that are then screened for alterations in such traits. Our previous research identified several dozen activation tagged mutant poplar lines that are resistant to feeding by defoliating insect larvae. In this project, the modified gene in these insect resistant (IR) lines will be identified and functionally characterized. The roles these genes play in mediating IR will be systematically examined in poplar through both gene knock-down and over-expression studies. Furthermore, mutant plants will be subject to thorough phenotypic characterization that includes evaluation of global changes in gene expression and measurement of insect feeding performance and larval development. It is expected that these studies will provide new insight into the genes and pathways that enhance resistance to feeding insects. Identification of specific IR genes will facilitate breeding of improved tree varieties in the future. The successful candidate will receive training in plant tissue culture, plant transformation, insect feeding/development bioassays, gene cloning and heterologous expression, bioinformatics, microarrays, and real-time PCR among other techniques. This project involves collaboration with researchers at North Dakota State University and the University of Florida and will require periodic travel to both institutions.

Qualifications:
Successful candidates should have a strong interest in research areas such as ecological and functional genomics, forest tree biology, plant-insect interactions, biochemistry and molecular biology. Candidates should possess good written and verbal English skills, be capable of working independently, and have demonstrated the ability to work as part of an interactive group. Successful candidates will be invited to submit a formal application for admission to the graduate program at UND (deadline February 15, 2010; www.und.edu/dept/biology/biology_graduate_program.htm).

Stipend:
The Graduate Research Assistantship starts at $17,000 (M.Sc.) or $20,000 (Ph.D.) per year and includes medical health insurance and a full tuition waiver.

How to apply:
Please supply a cover letter stating your interests, a CV describing your education and skills, undergraduate transcripts (unofficial is acceptable), and contact information for three referees. Send applications to Dr. Steven G. Ralph, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, 58202-9019,
email steven.ralph@und.nodak.edu, phone: 701-777-4673.

Aluminum + Ice = Rocket Propellant?

Here's a C&ENews story about a novel fuel idea. Talk about a stressful experiment!

Chemistry Project Christmas Ornaments

The Nov. 30 issue of Chemical & Engineering News (C&ENews) has a Newscripts article describing fun chemistry projects resulting in Christmas ornaments. You can read it by clicking here. A close-up view of a borax crystal ornament is shown at right. The color comes from whatever pipe-cleaner you choose as a form. The photo is from the October 2006 Owlhaven blog.

The Logic of Chemistry -- Here's a quick riddle for you

Elementary Discoveries

Four scientists, Cavendish, Moisson, Priestley, and Rutherford, discovered four elements, fluorine (F2), hydrogen (H2), nitrogen (N2), and oxygen (O2). Each of these elements has a different property: One is one of the least reactive elements, one is the most reactive element, one is the most abundant element in the body, and one is the most abundant element in the universe. Can you determine who discovered what element and what each element’s property is?

a. Fluorine, which was not discovered by Cavendish, isn’t the least reactive element.
b. Nitrogen, which was not discovered by Priestley, isn’t the most abundant element in the universe.
c. The four scientists are: Priestley, Rutherford, the discoverer of fluorine, and the discoverer of the element most abundant in the universe.
d. The element found to be the most abundant in the body wasn’t discovered by Moisson and isn’t nitrogen or hydrogen.

Dr. Bob Hanson