One way for an undergraduate student to enhance their education and future prospects is to participate in a research project. There are a number of different ways to do this -- one for just about anyone who is really interested. Research projects can be connected to scholarships, course credit, and sometime wages. Other students volunteer just for the experience.
The work required varies widely, depending on the project and the circumstances of student involvement. There are "wet lab" projects, library research, and computer projects. Ask around the department and it is likely that something can be found that will fit.
Our students also find opportunities in other University departments or in the Oxford area. In recent years, students have been involved with the Composite Materials Research Group of the Mechanical Engineering Department, molecular modeling in the Chemistry department, and as laboratory assistants at the National Center for Physical Accoustics and the USDA National Sedimentation Laboratory.
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Almost every semester, Dr. Wei-Yin Chen has undergraduate students working with him in the combustion laboratory. More than a dozen students have participate, including Bill Burleigh, Taylor Archer, Sherrilyn Johnson, Chevette Jones, Robert Kennedy, Matt Lambert, Cathy Lantrip, Jake McMurray, Jeremy Milum, and Mike Williams.
Sarah Gates, Lee Ferguson and Hunter Howell worked with Dr. John O'Haver to develop mathematics and science materials for the local schools through the North Mississippi GK-8 Project. Sarah also worked on measuring interaction parameters in surfactant mixtures as part of a paper for submission. Lee worked on a new pharaceutical method on which a patent is being filed. Hunter also worked on a pharmaceutics and surfactants related project.
Jessy Lai's work on the catalytic reburning of nitrogen oxide with alcohols and lignite char was as a participant in the NASA Space Grant Scholarship program.
Clark Henegan researched the use of activated char in energy production. The research resulted in three elective credits and applied towards McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College requirements.
Blair Bannerman worked with Dr. Wei-Yin Chen on Monte Carlo simulation of genetic switching mechanisms, again helping to fulfill requirements of the McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College.
Shannon Barr worked with Dr. John O'Haver to develop an interactive case study to teach chemical engineering students how to statistically design and analyze experiments.
Corrie Beard was a part-time employee of the Sedimentation Lab where she tested water from Mississippi streams for chemicals, solids, and bacteria to study the effects of fertilizers, rain, and litter on the aquatic life.
Derek Englert worked with Dr. Bonnie Avery of the Department of Pharmaceutics. He did near infrared spectroscopy of drugs in natural products.
Melissa English worked with Dr. Ajit Sadana on Analyte-Estrogen Receptor Binding Kinetics Using Biosensors. She was a paid undergraduate researcher during Summer 2001. and received co-author credit on a paper submitted to Sensors and Actuators.
Benson Gathitu was employed in Dr. Clint Williford's environmental remediation lab as a part-time lab assistant during Summer 2001. He worked on regeneration of an ion-exchange column.
Trey Hankins examined the formation of polymer nanofibers under the direction of Dr. John O'Haver. The work will provide course credit and satisfy requirements of the McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College.
Alma Jackson worked for Dr. Clint Williford under the auspices of the Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program. Her project examined the effect of additives on evaporation rates as part of an investigation of the oxygen transport and drying characteristics of dredged sediment.
Paul Jones examined the effects of temperature on the adsolubilization of styrene in nonionic surfactant aggregates on silica under the supervision of Dr. John O'Haver. He will receive course credit as part of the NASA Space Grant Scholarship program.
Adam Smith worked on the extraction of pharmaceutical compounds from natural products using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide with Dr. Wei-Yin Chen. This work applied toward requirements of the McDonnell-Barksdale Honors College
Shanna Woodard helped Dr. Ajit Sadana with the analysis of electrocardiograms to help predict the onset of heart attacks. This was part of a "Special Projects" course. Subsequently, she obtained an internship at the National Institutes of Health.
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