sample of research proposal in chemistry

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35911 Overview of the Research Proposal

• Published: August 2008
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In this module, we focus on writing a research proposal, a document written to request financial support for an ongoing or newly conceived research project. Like the journal article (module 1), the proposal is one of the most important and most utilized writing genres in chemistry. Chemists employed in a wide range of disciplines including teaching (high school through university), research and technology, the health professions, and industry all face the challenge of writing proposals to support and sustain their scholarly activities. Before we begin, we remind you that there are many different ways to write a successful proposal”far too many to include in this textbook. Our goal is not to illustrate all the various approaches, but rather to focus on a few basic writing skills that are common to many successful proposals. These basics will get you started, and with practice, you can adapt them to suit your individual needs. After reading this chapter, you should be able to do the following: ◾ Describe different types of funding and funding agencies ◾ Explain the purpose of a Request for Proposals (RFP) ◾ Understand the importance of addressing need, intellectual merit, and broader impacts in a research proposal ◾ Identify the major sections of a research proposal ◾ Identify the main sections of the Project Description Toward the end of the chapter, as part of the Writing on Your Own task, you will identify a topic for the research proposal that you will write as you work through this module. Consistent with the read-analyze-write approach to writing used throughout this textbook, this chapter begins with an excerpt from a research proposal for you to read and analyze. Excerpt 11A is taken from a proposal that competed successfully for a graduate fellowship offered by the Division of Analytical Chemistry of the American Chemical Society (ACS). As is true for nearly all successful proposals, the principal investigator (PI) wrote this proposal in response to a set of instructions. We have included the instructions with the excerpt so that you can see for yourself how closely she followed the proposal guidelines.

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Written Thesis Proposal

Introduction.

The goal of this article is to help you to streamline your writing process and help convey your ideas in a concise, coherent, and clear way. The purpose of your proposal is to introduce, motivate, and justify the need for your research contributions. You want to communicate to your audience what your research will do ( vision ), why it is needed ( motivation ), how you will do it ( feasibility ).

Return to ToC

Before you start writing your proposal

A thesis proposal is different than most documents you have written. In a journal article, your narrative can be post-constructed based on your final data, whereas in a thesis proposal, you are envisioning a scientific story and anticipating your impact and results. Because of this, it requires a different approach to unravel your narration. Before you begin your actual writing process, it is a good idea to have (a) a perspective of the background and significance of your research, (b) a set of aims that you want to explore, and (c) a plan to approach your aims. However, the formation of your thesis proposal is often a nonlinear process. Going back and forth to revise your ideas and plans is not uncommon. In fact, this is a segue to approaching your very own thesis proposal, although a lot of time it feels quite the opposite.

Refer to “Where do I begin” article when in doubt. If you have a vague or little idea of the purpose and motivation of your work, one way is to remind yourself the aspects of the project that got you excited initially. You could refer to the “Where do I begin?” article to explore other ways of identifying the significance of your project.

Begin with an outline. It might be daunting to think about finishing a complete and coherent thesis proposal. Alternatively, if you choose to start with an outline first, you are going to have a stronger strategic perspective of the structure and content of your thesis proposal. An outline can serve as the skeleton of your proposal, where you can express the vision of your work, goals that you set for yourself to accomplish your thesis, your current status, and your future plan to explore the rest. If you don’t like the idea of an outline, you could remind yourself what strategy worked best for you in the past and adapt it to fit your needs.

Structure Diagram

Structure your thesis proposal

While some variation is acceptable, don’t stray too far from the following structure (supported by the Graduate Student Handbook). See also the Structure Diagram above.

• Cover Page. The cover page contains any relevant contact information for the committee and your project title. Try to make it look clean and professional.
• Specific Aims . The specific aims are the overview of the problem(s) that you plan to solve. Consider this as your one-minute elevator pitch on your vision for your research. It should succinctly (< 1 page) state your vision (the What), emphasize the purpose of your work (the Why), and provide a high-level summary of your research plans (the How).
• You don’t need to review everything! The point of the background is not to educate your audience, but rather to provide them with the tools needed to understand your proposal. A common pitfall is to explain all the research that you did to understand your topic and to demonstrate that you really know your information. Instead, provide enough evidence to show that you have done your reading. Cut out extraneous information. Be succinct.
• Start by motivating your project. Your background begins by addressing the motivation for your project. If you are having a hard time brainstorming the beginning of your background, try to organize your thoughts by writing down a list of bullet points about your research visions and the gap between current literature and your vision. They do not need to be in any order as they only serve to your needs. If you are unsure of how to motivate your audience, you can refer to the introductions of the key literatures where your proposal is based on, and see how your proposal fits in or extends their envisioned pictures. Another exercise to consider is to imagine: “What might happen if your work is successful?”  This will motivate your audience to understand your intent. Specifically, detailed contributions to help advance your field more manageable to undertake than vague high-level outcomes. For example, “Development of the proposed model will enable high-fidelity simulation of shear-induced crystallization” is a more specific and convincing motivation, compared to, “The field of crystallization modeling must be revolutionized in order to move forward.”

• Break down aims into tractable goals. The goal of your research plan is to explain your plans to approach the problem that you have identified. Here, you are extending your specific aims into a set of actionable plans. You can break down your aims into smaller, more tractable goals whose union can answer the lager scientific question you proposed. These smaller aims, or sub-aims, can appear in the form of individual sub-sections under each of your research aims.
• Reiterate your motivations. While you have already explained the purpose of your work in previous sections, it is still a good practice to reiterate them in the context of each sub-aim that you are proposing. This will inform your audience the motivation of each sub-aim and help them stay engaged.
• Describe a timely, actionable plan. Sometimes you might be tempted to write down every area that needs improvement. It is great to identify them; at the same time, you also need to decide on what set of tasks can you complete timely to make a measurable impact during your PhD. A timely plan now can save a lot of work a few years down the road.  Plan some specific reflection points when you’ll revisit the scope of your project and evaluate if changes are needed.  Some pre-determined “off-ramps” and “retooling” ideas will be very helpful as well, e.g., “Development of the model will rely on the experimental data of Reynold’s, however, modifications of existing correlations based on the validated data of von Karman can be useful as well.”
• Point your data to your plans. The preliminary data you have, data that others in your lab have collected, or even literature data can serve as initial steps you have taken. Your committee should not judge you based on how much or how perfect your data is. More important is to relate how your data have informed you to decide on your plans. Decide upon what data to include and point them towards your future plans.
• Name your backup plans. Make sure to consider back-up plans if everything doesn’t go as planned, because often it won’t. Try to consider which part of your plans are likely to fail and its consequence on the project trajectory. In addition, think about what alternative plans you can consider to “retune” your project. It is unlikely to predict exactly what hurdles you will encounter; however, thinking about alternatives early on will help you feel much better when you do.
• Safety. Provide a description of any relevant safety concerns with your project and how you will address them. This can include general and project-specific lab safety, PPE, and even workspace ergonomics and staying physical healthy if you are spending long days sitting at a desk or bending your back for a long time at your experimental workbench.
• Create the details of your timeline. The timeline can be broken down in the units of semester. Think about your plans to distribute your time in each sub-aims, and balance your research with classes, TA, and practice school. A common way to construct a timeline is called the Gantt Chart. There are templates that are available online where you can tailor them to fit your needs.
• References. This is a standard section listing references in the appropriate format, such as ACS format. The reference tool management software (e.g., Zotero, Endnote, Mendeley) that you are using should have prebuilt templates to convert any document you are citing to styles like ACS. If you do not already have a software tool, now is a good time to start.

Authentic, annotated, examples (AAEs)

These thesis proposals enabled the authors to successfully pass the qualifying exam during the 2017-2018 academic year.

Resources and Annotated Examples

Thesis proposal example 1, thesis proposal example 2.

Original Research Proposal – Inorganic

As part of the written requirement for the Ph.D. degree, students will propose, write, and defend an original research proposal in their third year of graduate studies.

Scope of the Proposal

The proposal should describe a research idea that directly addresses a gap in knowledge. The topic area of your proposal should be outside the scope of your Ph.D. and undergraduate research areas. Proposals that explore a field or topic far from your current research are encouraged. If you have any questions about the scope of your proposal, please contact your advisor or a divisional representative.

Proposal Timeline:

December: Proposal abstracts due, with the goal of returning faculty feedback before the December holiday break. Faculty will red, green, or yellow light abstracts with written comments to aid in improving or guiding the trajectory of topic for development into a full proposal. In cases of a red light, a new topic may be requested.

January: Full proposal due to the inorganic faculty

February: Scheduled oral presentation and defense.

Possible Outcomes:

• Pass: no additional work required
• Partial Pass: deficiencies noted in the written or oral presentation and additional written or oral material may be required
• Unsatisfactory: students are required to repeat the proposal process during their 4th year with a new topic

Guidelines for Proposal Abstract

Students will submit a two-page abstract that the faculty will evaluate for feasibility as a topic for a full proposal. The abstract should succinctly describe the gap in knowledge, outline the proposed research to fill the gap, and describe the impact of the proposed work. Graphical content is encouraged. Refrain from including technical details, these will be developed as part of the full proposal.

A number of questions often come up with regards to the goal and structure of the proposal abstract. Here are a few comments designed to help you find the right balance…

• 1 page is often too short/3 pages is too long. Aim for 2 pages with a few embedded figures and/or schemes to help convey the key concepts you intend to explore. Make it visually appealing and easy to read so that your reader is more apt to actually read it.
• This is not a review article. Give enough background to convince your reader that this isn’t a nothing-burger, but make focus the text on your idea, your hypothesis, and your really cool way of tackling the problem.
• Pick a topic that excites you, one that you want to spend time exploring. Don’t worry if it doesn’t sound “inorganic enough”, as long as we can cover the topic adequately it’s all good. You’ll know if the topic is too close to what you are currently doing.
• Most strong proposals, even interdisciplinary ones, have a core “chemistry question” that can be highlighted. It can be helpful to start thinking about what variables can be tuned and what those variations will teach you.

Guidelines for a Full Proposal

1. project summary.

1 page limit. This is a self-contained, third-person description of objectives, methods, significance. Reviewers will use the abstract as a tool to construct their review, so it needs to be carefully written with that in mind. You want them to know what the key elements of your project are and their significance in the context of current knowledge.

2. Project Description

The project description has a 10 page limit, single spaced, including figures.

2.1 Goals and Importance

2.1.1 State Goals and Objectives

What are the main scientific challenges? Emphasize what the new ideas are. Briefly describe the project’s major goals and their impact on the state of the art.

• Clearly state the question you will address.

2.1.2 Establish Importance

• Why is this research area important? What makes something important varies with the field. For some fields, the intellectual challenge should be emphasized, for others the practical applications should be emphasized.
• Why is it an interesting/difficult/challenging question? It must be neither trivial nor impossible.
• What long-term technical goals will this work serve?
• What are the main barriers to progress? What has led to success so far and what limitations remain? What is the missing knowledge?
• What aspects of the current state-of-the-art lead to this proposal? Why are these the right issues to be addressing now?
• What lessons from past and current research motivate your work? What value will your research provide? What is it that your results will make possible?

2.1.3 Introduce the Proposed Work

• Identify the gap(s) in the field
• Introduce your project to fill the gap(s)
• Clearly explain the relation to the present state of knowledge, to current work here & elsewhere. Cite those whose work you’re building on (and whom you would like to have review your proposal). Don’t insult anyone. For example, don’t say their work is “inadequate;” rather, identify the issues they didn’t address.

Surprisingly, this section can kill a proposal. You need to be able to put your work in context. Often, a proposal will appear naive because the relevant literature is not cited. If it looks like you are planning to reinvent the wheel (and have no idea that wheels already exist), then no matter how good the research proposal itself is, your proposal won’t get funded. If you trash everyone else in your research field, saying their work is no good, you also will not get funded.

You can build your credentials in this section by summarizing other people’s work clearly and concisely and by stating how your work uses their ideas and how it differs from theirs.

2.2 Experimental Approach

• Provide a broad technical description of research plan: activities, methods, data, and theory.

Write to convince the best person in your field that your idea deserves funding. Simultaneously, you must convince someone who is very smart but has no background in your sub-area. The goal of your proposal is to persuade the reviewers that your ideas are so important that they will take money out of the taxpayers’ pockets and hand it to you.

This is the part that counts. WHAT will you do? Why is your strategy an appropriate one to pursue? What is the key idea that makes it possible for you to answer this question? HOW will you achieve your goals? What will you learn through this proposed work? Concisely and coherently, this section should complete the arguments developed earlier and present your initial pass on how to solve the problems posed. Avoid repetitions and digressions.

The question is: What will we know when you’re done that we don’t know now? The question is not: What will we have that we don’t have now? That is, rather than saying that you will develop a system that will do X, Y and Z, instead say why it is important to be able to do X, Y and Z; why X, Y and Z can’t be done now; how you are going to go about making X, Y and Z possible; and, what new knowledge or insights you will gain along the way.

2.3 Outcomes and Impact 2.3.1 Plan of work

• Present a plan for how you will go about attacking/solving the questions you have raised.
• Discuss expected results and a plan for evaluating the results. How will you measure progress?

Include a summary of milestones and expected dates of completion. You are not committed to following this plan – but you must present a FEASIBLE plan to convince the reviewers that you know how to go about getting research results.

2.3.2 List Expected Outcomes

2.3.3 Conclude the Proposed Work

• Reiterate the goals and importance
• Address any broader impacts

3. References

• Pertinent literature referenced within the project description.

Program directors often look in the bibliography for potential reviewers, and reviewers often look in the bibliography to see if their work is cited. If your bibliography has a lot of peripheral references, your proposal may be sent to reviewers whose work is not directly related to yours and who may not understand your proposal. On the other hand, if you do not cite the relevant literature, your proposal may be sent to reviewers who are not cited and who will criticize you for not knowing the literature. Most of the references in the bibliography will be cited in the Related Work section. The references do not count in the 10 page proposal limit.

INORGANIC DIVISION RUBRIC

Student name:

Proposal title:

Review Criteria

Reviewers will consider each of the three review criteria below for the pass/fail assessment.

Section 1: __ pass       ___ fail

Section 2: __ pass       ___ fail

Section 3: __ pass       ___ fail

Final Ranking

• Pass (passing grade in all three sections)
• Conditional pass (one area needs major revisions)
• Fail (two or more areas need major revisions)

Additional Feedback:

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An research proposal examples on chemistry is a prosaic composition of a small volume and free composition, expressing individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue and obviously not claiming a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.

Some signs of chemistry research proposal:

• the presence of a specific topic or question. A work devoted to the analysis of a wide range of problems in biology, by definition, cannot be performed in the genre of chemistry research proposal topic.
• The research proposal expresses individual impressions and thoughts on a specific occasion or issue, in this case, on chemistry and does not knowingly pretend to a definitive or exhaustive interpretation of the subject.
• As a rule, an essay suggests a new, subjectively colored word about something, such a work may have a philosophical, historical, biographical, journalistic, literary, critical, popular scientific or purely fiction character.
• in the content of an research proposal samples on chemistry , first of all, the author’s personality is assessed - his worldview, thoughts and feelings.

The goal of an research proposal in chemistry is to develop such skills as independent creative thinking and writing out your own thoughts.

Writing an research proposal is extremely useful, because it allows the author to learn to clearly and correctly formulate thoughts, structure information, use basic concepts, highlight causal relationships, illustrate experience with relevant examples, and substantiate his conclusions.

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Chemistry Research Proposal: A Way to Your Desired Academic Heights

Open the easy way to your PhD in Chemistry with the help of our experts.

Break New Ground on Your PhD Journey With Chemistry Research Proposal

The highest degree in organic chemistry opens up horizons of opportunities for those who have reached the top of a career in science. To climb to a PhD in chemistry degree is almost like the northern slopes of Everest since it requires a certain preparation and the ability to concentrate on achieving an important goal without losing sight of other aspects. However, this work is your entry fee and a decisive part of your PhD application.

Writing a research proposal in chemistry is mandatory on the way to the top of the PhD, which is of paramount importance, being an entry point. In addition, such a proposal in organic chemistry and in any other science-related field is a request document, the basis for the possibility of receiving a grant for any scientific study. This work is a grant application, funding for a project that you consider important and can change the current understanding of science.

Research Proposal in Chemistry: In-Depth Exploration Preparedness

It is essential to be aware that developing a proposal requires specific training in chemistry and to recognize that this work has its own requirements. Its purpose is to showcase your readiness and abilities to conduct profound investigation at an advanced level and your capacity to think in a structured and coherent manner. Your journey to research proposal writing services pages in search of answers on how to approach composing academic work, an essential background for your future PhD degree, is not a coincidence.

To become acquainted with how to write a chemistry research paper, use the template we provided below. However, it’s essential to understand that the goal of academic writing in chemistry isn’t to find a single correct answer, as in an equation. The pivotal aspect here is your ability to precisely define the problematic areas and your skill in identifying effective avenues to their resolution. Your proficiency in clearly and eloquently describing these paths and methods is crucial in successfully preparing a proposal for your PhD.

Structure and Key Stages of Research Proposal for PhD in Chemistry

The structure of a research proposal may differ depending on your institution and specific program requirements. However, every research proposal organic chemistry for a PhD comprises some essential sections that stay the same as they aid in organizing your paper and substantiating its significance.

• Introduction, where you need to define the research areas in chemistry you intend to work with and state a specific study issue to describe in your chemistry proposal. It also includes the main goals of your research and what you plan to achieve.
• The literature review includes a review of existing investigations and literature related to your chemistry topic to demonstrate your comprehension of the subject area and key trends, identify gaps in existing knowledge, and justify the importance of your PhD research.
• Objectives and research questions express the aims of your PhD work clearly and distinctly. Here, you must formulate and describe specific study questions you will address within the scope of the study.
• Methodology to explain the PhD chemistry project methods you plan to use to address the set investigation questions and substantiate your choice of the topic.
• Expected results and research significance is the part where you talk about the results you expect to achieve and how these results can affect organic chemistry science.
• Resources and budget with a clear indication of the necessary resources required for the successful execution of your project. It may involve laboratory equipment, materials, and other tools. Also, here, you need to give a rough estimate of the costs.
• The bibliography lists all the sources you reference in your research proposal in organic chemistry. Keep the list accurate and current.

The essence of this work is to highlight the essentials of your project and reveal its value. As you progress through the project and your questions evolve, the answers will gradually take shape. As a result of your work, you will create a research structure that revolves around the goal, confirming your ability to organize and develop this process competently. In addition, comparable methods and structures find application in biology research proposal writing since the same basic principles underlie scientific investigation covering different areas.

PhD in Organic Chemistry: a Plan, Strategy, Tactics, and Achievements

Approaching the pursuit of a PhD in organic chemistry with a well-crafted strategy and accepted proposal will lead to a clear roadmap in your scientific journey in organic chemistry. This plan will encompass the research itself and the subsequent structure of your dissertation on the given subject. The video we posted here provides practical advice on all the nuances you need to consider when preparing and conducting a scientific study. We recommend watching it.

In order to provide a robust research proposal in chemistry, you need to create it in stages, gradually climbing to each new level, adding part after part. Pay attention to issues such as the method of your future investigations. Make sure to study the existing literature and research methods already conducted on your topic.

Key Aspects of Research Proposal Chemistry Writing

It’s worth noting that any research proposal follows specific stylistic guidelines and features commonly associated with academic institutions and research centers. We can break down the main elements of the writing style within this context into the following key aspects:

• The writing style should maintain a formal and scholarly tone. Employ precise terminology and technical language aligning with the field of organic chemistry.
• State the essence clearly and clearly, avoiding unnecessary words and phrases. In the research proposal chemistry, focusing on conveying the key information is crucial.
• Refrain from utilizing first-person (I) or second-person (you) pronouns. Adopting a third-person perspective (researcher, author, etc.) fosters objectivity and professionalism in your writing. This is to underline the research’s value and avoid personal viewpoints at the same time.
• Adhere to an academic structure with well-defined sections: introduction, literature review, objectives and inquiries, methodology, expected outcomes, and bibliography.

We’re not addressing grammar here, as it should be an inherent feature. Considering the aforementioned stylistic nuances, you’ll be capable of formulating a chemistry research proposal that conforms to the requisites of the scientific community and the educational curriculum. A specified writing style will facilitate clear and precise communication of your academic assignment concepts and their significance.

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PhDresearchproposal.org is not only just a writing service but a place where you can get qualified support from the best experts in their fields. Due to our advanced assignment process, you have access to top subject-matter writers with proven qualifications and years of experience in making research proposals, leading to achieving the desired results. Contact us now and get the opportunity to maintain a work-life balance, leaving yourself time for your current life and, at the same time, continue your scientific career in organic chemistry.

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Research Proposal Guidelines

To satisfy the research requirement for the distance M.S. program in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, the aspiring student must define a research project and prepare a written proposal describing the nature and goals of the project.

It is suggested that the student in conjunction with their distance research mentor collaborate in the selection of and the definition of the proposed research. The proposal should consist of the following elements:

• Overall goal or hypotheses
• Statement of significance of the research
• Research plan consisting of several specific aims.

The following description serves to define expectations regarding proposal preparation.

Project Title

An appropriate title should be created that describes the overall research topic.

Overall Goal

Write a short statement that clearly defines the scope of the project.

Background and Significance

Become familiar with a published work that is related to your chosen research area. Provide a summary of the background in a manner that demonstrates a knowledge of the area and goes on to describe the significance of the proposed research in adding to and extending existing knowledge.

Specific Aims

The overall project should be envisioned as a series of sub-goals, which as they are individually accomplished, allows results in the achievement of the overall goal.  The specific aims should include a description of the experiments to be conducted. It should be clearly stated what is to be accomplished in each specific aim and how these results relate to the achievement of the overall research goal.

Bibliography

Appropriate literature citations should be provided in each section of the proposal, as justification for the proposed research, and to clearly indicate that the student has familiarized themselves with the research topic.

The M.S. research proposal should be limited to approximately four pages, excluding the bibliographic section.

The proposal preparation will satisfy one credit hour of the research requirement.

Research Proposal | Chemistry and Biochemistry | SIU

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Requirements, research proposal, research proposal and preliminary oral examination.

The preparation and defense of an original research proposal serves as the second portion of the preliminary examination. For this portion, there exists a Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) to consist of the student's entire graduate committee except for the member from outside the school. The school chair, if serving on the graduate committee as an ex-officio member, will be a non-voting member of this PEC. Initial work on the proposal should be initiated when the student begins taking cumulative examinations, as the first draft of the written proposal (see below) must be submitted to the PEC before the end of the student's fifth semester. Failure to submit the draft by the end of the fifth semester will result in discontinuation of assistantship support until the requirement is fulfilled. The student chooses the topic for an original research proposal. The topic must be approved by the Proposal Evaluation Committee (PEC) at a meeting in which the student outlines the proposal idea. The topic may use the techniques of the student's research project, but must not be an extension of the project. The proposal must be original with the student. After obtaining approval of the topic, the student will prepare a written proposal in accord with the prescribed format. (See Appendix IV.) During preparation, the student may obtain advice and suggestions from any faculty member but the proposal itself must be original with the student. The student must complete preparation of the proposal and submit it to the PEC before January of his or her third calendar year. The committee is allowed one week for evaluation of the proposal. The evaluation will include at least one meeting of the PEC. The evaluation shall be by a numerical score from 1.0 (lowest) to 4.0 (highest). An average score of 3.0 shall be required to pass. The scores will be accompanied by a written review by each voting PEC member. If the score is less than 3.0, the proposal must be revised and resubmitted within 30 days. The re-evaluation will follow the same procedure as described above. Only one re-submission is allowed. A second failure will be reported in writing by the PEC to the School Chair and to the Director of Graduate Studies. The latter will request that the Graduate School terminate the student from our doctoral program. In most cases, the students will be eligible for a Master’s degree. When the score is less than 3.0, copies of the final approved proposal must be provided to all members of the student's graduate committee at least one week before the date of the preliminary oral examination. Within 30 days of receiving notification of a passing grade, the student shall schedule a preliminary oral examination (defense of the proposal). This oral defense shall consist of a formal open seminar at which the student will present the proposal for credit as Chemistry 595. After questions from the general audience, the student's graduate committee will conduct an oral examination of the student. The grade for Chemistry 595 is based on the oral presentation and is independent of the oral examination. Only one attempt is allowed to pass the preliminary oral examination (defense of the research proposal). However, if the committee cannot decide whether to pass or fail the student at the end of the scheduled examination time, they may vote to continue the examination at a later date. Only one such continuation is allowed. The decision of the committee to pass the student or to continue the examination must be made with a majority vote of the committee. The student, the School Chair, and the director of graduate studies will be notified by the Chair of the graduate committee in writing on the next working day after the examination whether the result was Pass, Fail, or Continue. If a continuation is required, it must be scheduled no earlier than 30 days and no later than 90 days after the original oral examination date. Students in the Ph. D. program must complete the proposal defense by the end of third year in residence. Failure to complete the proposal defense by the end of third year will result in discontinuation of assistantship support until the requirement is fulfilled. If the student has not completed the defense by the end of the third year, the student will have one semester in which to complete the proposal defense (without assistantship support). Failure to complete the proposal by the deadline will result in termination from the graduate program. 4/5  Effective 12/13/07

A research project is required of all graduate students. A student in the doctoral program must earn at least 32 credit hours in research and dissertation (Chemistry 598 and 600). A minimum of 24 hours must be dissertation credit (Chemistry 600). The results of the research must be presented in the form of a dissertation acceptable both to the student's committee and to the Graduate School.

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Research Proposal Activities in an Advanced Inorganic Chemistry Lecture at the Undergraduate Level

With cutting edge research comes the expectation that funding is needed. Particularly in the sciences, grant funds can cover the cost of instrumentation, conference travel, summer stipends and the like. At the undergraduate level, it is essential to instill into the students the importance of finding and applying to funding opportunities (particularly for those who wish to pursue graduate degrees). While the Georgia College (GC) chemistry program currently does not have a formal "technical writing class", here are discussed several activities that seek to expose undergraduate students to proposal writing and bettering their technical writing skills. La investigación y diseminación de proyectos científicos novedosos requieren fondos monetarios. Particularmente en las ciencias, estos fondos pueden cubrir los costos de instrumentación, viajes a conferencias, estipendios de verano y otros. A nivel pre-doctoral, es esencial inculcar a los estudiantes la importancia de la adquisición de fondos monetarios (particularmente para aquellos estudiantes que desean estudiar a nivel de doctorado). Mientras que el programa de química de Georgia College (GC) no posee un curso de escritura técnica, en este artículo se discuten algunas actividades que exponen a estudiantes pre-doctorales a la escritura de propuestas y el mejoramiento de sus habilidades en escritura técnica. Palabras clave: Escritura de propuestas; química inorgánica avanzada; propuesta investigativa; investigación a nivel pre-doctoral; seminario integrador

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In the case of General Chemistry, many engineering students only take a one semester class with​ ​ important topics such as kinetics and equilibrium being given limited coverage. Considerable time is spent covering materials already covered​ ​ in other courses such as General Physics and Introduction to Engineering. Moreover, most GChem courses are oriented toward health science majors and lack a materials focus relevant to engineering. Taking an atoms first approach, we developed and now run a one-semester course in general chemistry for engineers emphasizing relevant materials topics. Laboratory exercises integrate practical examples of materials science enriching the course for engineering students. First-semester calculus and a calculus-based introduction to engineering course are prerequisites, which enables teaching almost all the topics from a traditional two semester GChem course in this new course with advance topics as well. To support this course, an open access textbook in LibreText, formerly ChemWiki was developed entitled ​ General Chemistry for Engineering. Many of the topics were supported using Chemical Excelets and Materials Science Excelets, which are interactive Excel/Calc spreadsheets. The laboratory includes data analysis and interpretation, calibration, error analysis, reactions, kinetics, electrochemistry, and spectrophotometry. To acquaint the students with online collaboration typical of today's technical workplace Google Drive was used for data analysis and report preparation in the laboratory. Updated course website: https://sites.google.com/view/ssinex/home/chm-2000 *************************** A follow-up paper, "Modernizing the Engineering Curriculum: A Community College Approach to Integrate Materials", was published in J. Materials Education 40 (3-4), 125-132 (2018).

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Department of Chemistry

Chemistry REU Program

Proposed research projects.

(Note that not all research projects and groups are available each summer. The list found here is to give a general idea of the program’s offering.)

Polymer Based Vesicles for Therapeutics Dr. Douglas Adamson (Polymer Chemistry)

Mechanistic Inorganic Chemistry Dr. Alfredo Angeles-Boza (Inorganic Chemistry)

We use synthetic chemistry, both organic and inorganic, as a tool to design and build new molecules for targeted applications. We are particularly interested in the social dilemmas of climate change and antibiotic resistance. Interestingly, both problems can be thought as examples of tragedies of the commons.

Our current research efforts are centered in two key areas: 1) Development of novel catalysts for the activation of small molecules (CO 2 , O 2 , H 2 O). We synthesize new catalysts and study their activity with a focus on kinetics and reaction mechanisms. We are one of the few groups in the world that use of heavy atom isotope effects to study reaction mechanisms. 2) Design and synthesis of compounds with medicinal properties that take advantage of the important role of metal ions in biological systems. Our approach involves synthesizing novel molecules and characterizing them with an arsenal of physical, chemical and spectroscopic data. In recent years, we have focused on the synthesis of peptides and peptidomimetics. Angeles-Boza Group Website

Use of Persistent Radical Catalysts in Living Polymerization Reactions Dr. Alexandru Asandei (Polymer Chemistry)

Synthesis and Study of DNA Damages Dr. Ashis K. Basu (Bioorganic Chemistry)

We study chemicals and drugs that exert their biological effects through DNA damage. Some of the chemicals are environmental pollutants such as 1–nitropyrene. We also study ionizing radiation-induced DNA damages. The REU student will synthesize a specific DNA damage such as a DNA adduct of a nitroaromatic compound or induce an ionizing radiation damage into a designed oligo¬deoxy¬nucleotide. These DNA lesions can induce mutations which may represent the first step converting a normal cell into a cancer cell. Our goal is to correlate the type of mutation with three dimensional architectural effects induced in DNA. The modified DNA fragments will be used to study mutagenesis and DNA repair. The project will introduce the REU student to a variety of organic synthesis and nucleic acid chemistry tools, chromatography, and structural characterization (NMR, UV-Vis, MS), and introduce the student to molecular biology and recombinant DNA techniques. Basu Web Site

Synthesis of Pyrrole-Modified Porphyrins Dr. Christian Brueckner (Organic Chemistry)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) employs the combination of a photosensitizer, such as a porphyrin, and light to destroy diseased cells. For PDT to be most effective, the light that activates the drug must penetrate deep into tissue. However, while tissue is only transparent for red and infrared light, porphyrins cannot be activated using red light. Thus, our group has set out a program to modify synthetic porphyrins in a way that they can become photosensitizers which can be activated with red light. Although porphyrins are ubiquitous naturally occurring macrocycles, the regio-selective modification of them can be difficult. Hence, synthetic compounds are needed.

We modify a class sof symmetric meso-aryl-substituted porphyrins by formally replacing one pyrrole by a different heterocycle. One reaction sequence involves the cleavage of the ß,ß’-bond (1 to 2), followed by ring-closure to, in this example, form morpholine-derived porphyrin 3. Oxazole-, imidazole, and pyrazole-based systems are also available along this route.

The REU student will do multi-step syntheses (1-4 steps), purification (column and preparative thin layer chromatography) and characterization (UV-vis, IR, fluorescence spectroscopy, NMR) of porphyrins and metalloporphyrins (NiII, ZnII, AgII). The student will learn many analytic and synthetic techniques employed in modern organic and coordination chemistry. Brueckner Group Web Site

Modeling the Mechanisms of Light Harvesting in a Photosynthetic Antenna Protein Dr. Jose Gascon (Physical and Computational Chemistry)

Gascon Group Web Site

Automated Continuous Flow Chemistries Dr. Kerry Gilmore (Organic Chemistry)

The use of technology in chemistry allows for significant improvements in how we can study and synthesize small molecules. Most notably, the use of continuous flow techniques allows us to perform operations in a safer – and far greener – manner. This technique can be used in a wide breadth of applications, ranging from photo- and electrochemistry for more sustainable production, mechanistic studies to better understand how and why reactions occur, and the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients. Coupled with machine learning, our group uses these approaches to develop better ways of making molecules and accessing previously unexplored areas of chemical synthesis. Critically, these instruments and tools need to be more broadly available, such that the entire chemical community can benefit without having to buy or build things themselves. Akin to cloud computing, we are building a network of automated instruments to perform chemical reactions – this involves writing software, automation/robotics, building new platforms, analytics, and running chemical reactions. We are looking for REU students interested in any of these areas, and those with any experience in coding/robotics are especially welcome to apply. Gilmore group website

Hybrid Materials Dr. Jie (Jay) He (Polymer Chemistry and Physical Chemistry)

Amphiphilic molecules such as liquids, surfactants, and amphiphilic block copolymers can spontaneously form a wide range of nano- or microstructures such as spherical micelles, cylindrical or worm-like micelles, or bilayer vesicles in selective solvents. Analogues to the self-assembly behaviors of atoms or molecules, the self-assembly of colloidal building blocks,so-called “colloidal molecules”, into various supra-architectures or ordered ensembles provides new opportunities to engineering structures and devices with unique optical, magnetic, or electronic properties. Our group is interested in design and synthesis of colloidal molecules and the use of colloidal molecules as model systems to understand atomic or molecular interactions in self-assembly or crystallization. The REU student will be trained with various living polymerization techniques (ATRP and RAFT polymerization) and characterization tools (NMR, GPC and electronic microscopes). The student will be exposed to the synthesis and self-assembly of various nanomaterials.

He Group Web Site

Shape-Memory Polymers Dr. Rajeswari M. Kasi (Polymer Chemistry)

We seek to synthesize, characterize, and, thereby, achieve a fundamental understanding of new biocompatible stimuli-responsive polymers. Development of new synthetic methodologies, modification of existing synthetic routes, multidisciplinary approach to structure-property evaluation, and advanced characterization tools are the overriding factors to rational material design. Shape memory polymers are a class of responsive polymers that show a reversible temporary shape change with temperature. Upon temperature reduction the initial or permanent shape is achieved once again. We are interested in exploring the influence of architecture and states of matter on shape memory application. The triggering temperature used for these applications could be the glass transition, melting or liquid crystalline transition temperature leading to a multi-variable shape memory approach, Figure 1. Shape memory polymers and hybrid structures can be used in drug delivery, tissue engineering scaffolds, artificial muscles, and actuators.

The undergraduate student researcher will be mentored by a graduate student and the faculty member. The student will learn synthetic polymer chemistry methods and characterization techniques to investigate stimuli-responsive and shape memory properties. Kasi Group Web Site

Synthesis and characterization of photoswitchable inhibitors of potassium channels Dr. Michael Kienzler (Organic and Biological Chemistry)

Potassium channels are essential proteins for maintaining excitable cells’ membrane potential, perhaps best known for their role in neuron action potential firing.  New molecular tools are needed to interrogate the function of potassium channels with high spatiotemporal precision.  Our lab is interested in synthesizing small, photoswitchable molecules that can be used to control protein function, and in this project in particular, potassium channel blockers that can be turned “on” and “off” with different wavelengths of light.  To achieve this goal, our photoswitch of choice is azobenzene, which can isomerize between  cis   and   trans   forms by irradiating the molecule with different wavelengths of light in the Ultraviolet/visible range.

The REU student will synthesize a series of azobenzene-based photoswitchable inhibitors of potassium channels (2-5 steps), purifying (via column chromatography and HPLC) and characterizing (NMR, Mass Spec) their compounds as they go.  The photochemical properties of the final compounds will also be determined (UV/vis spectroscopy, NMR).

From the Kitchen to the Lab Dr. Nicholas Leadbeater (Inorganic Chemistry)

We all know that microwave ovens can be used for heating food fast. An exciting area of study in the synthetic chemistry community is the use of microwaves for making molecules rapidly, easily and cleanly. Using microwave heating, it is possible to enhance the rate of chemical reactions significantly and to do chemistry that was otherwise not possible. Unlike the microwave at home, we use state-of-the-art scientific microwave systems that allow precise control of reaction conditions. One limitation at the moment is the scale-up of reactions to make multi-gram or kilo quantities of compounds. However, we are about to receive a microwave apparatus that is designed to overcome this hurdle. As an REU student, you would play an important role in using this apparatus over the summer and would have your own mini-project focused around the use of microwave heating for scaling-up reactions. You will be mentored by a graduate student in the group. The reactions will be performed in water as a solvent rather than organic solvents thus making the chemistry more environmentally friendly. As well as being exciting, the project will introduce you to a range of modern synthetic chemistry techniques as well as analysis methods. Leadbeater Group Web Site

Supramolecular Assembly of Polypeptides into Nanomaterials Dr. Yao Lin (Polymer Chemistry)

Control of photo-generated charge-separated states in donor-bridge-acceptor molecules dr. tomoyasu mani (physical chemistry).

Research in the Mani Group focuses on photo- and radiation-induced fundamental chemical reactions in the condensed phase. We are particularly interested in controlling electronic excited states, charge and exciton transfer reactions, and spin dynamics in molecules and molecular assemblies. The fundamental understanding of these phenomena will help us improve and develop energy and biomedical technologies.

The REU student will work on the projects that examine the way(s) to control photo-generated charge-separated states. Students will have an opportunity to do either or both organic synthesis and optical (both steady-state and time-resolved) spectroscopy experiments.

Mani Group Web Site

Nanoscale Controlled Light Emitting Devices by Self-Assembly Techniques Dr. Fotios Papadimitrakopoulos (Polymer Chemistry)

Implantable biosensors could be a plausible way to continuously monitor blood glucose levels, provided they exhibit long-term stability and means to establish telemetry. However, their potential applications remain largely unexploited due to the negative tissue responses such as biofouling, inflammation, tissue fibrosis, and calcification generated by the implantation of such devices. Other problems such as electrical short, signal drifts and need for continuous calibration can lead to device malfunctioning and eventually failure. Also, one of the chief concerns is the possibility of sensor breakdown because of oxidative degradation of enzyme and other electrode coatings due to excess of hydrogen peroxide present in the immediate vicinity of the sensing electrode. This is a direct result of over-sampling of the glucose in the blood stream. Coating the device by a biocompatible, semipermeable membrane can rectify this situation. Apart from acting as a barrier to permeation of glucose, the membrane would protect the sensor from foreign molecules that cause fouling. Our group investigated the simplistic, yet versatile approach of layer-by-layer (LBL) self-assembly of assembly of Humic Acids (Has), a naturally occurring biopolymer and Fe3+ cations. Not only did these coatings provide the required degree of glucose permeability, but in vivo results indicated their biocompatibility with reduced tissue fibrosis upon implantation. Furthermore, the conformation and growth characteristics of the HAs/Fe3+ membrane could be tailored by carefully adjusting the pH of the aqueous medium. Apart from the HAs/Fe3+ bilayers, we self-assembled films of HAs/poly (diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (PDDA) and also films of poly (styrene sulfonate) (PSS)/PDDA onto the sensory device. Moreover the diffusion coefficients of glucose through these membrane systems were investigated in order to explain the individual sensor response as it pertains to the microstructure of these outer semipermeable membranes. The hysterisis behavior of these sensors was studied as a function of permeability of the outer membrane. It was concluded that the microstructure of these coatings govern the permeability of glucose and correspondingly, the sensitivity, longevity and hysterisis of the sensors. We plan to extend this outer membrane research to a more biocompatible polyelectrolytes like poly saccharides and proteins, which we aniticipate to finish within one summer.

The incoming REU student will be exposed to a variety of techniques including electrochemical sensor fabrication, electro-analytical techniques, ellipsometry, enzyme immobilization, electropolymerization of conducting polymers, layer by layer assembly, in vitro and in vivo testing of electrochemical sensors as well diffusional based theoretical modeling of electrochemical sensors. Papadim. Group Web Site

Synthesis as a Tool in Glycoscience Dr. Mark W. Peczuh (Organic Chemistry)

Carbohydrates are indispensable to biological processes such as metabolism, protein folding, and cell-cell interactions. Our group is interested in the design, synthesis, and characterization (conformation, binding) of ring expanded carbohydrates that can interact with natural proteins such as lectins and glycosidases. The preparation of novel ligands of these two broad groups of carbohydrate binding proteins may provide new tools for glycobiology or even future drug leads.

The REU student will synthesize septanose carbohydrate glycosides and glycoconjugates designed for their ability to bind natural lectins and glycosidases. The routes for their synthesis will rely on established procedures, or will be developed by the student. They will be multistep sequences (4-6 steps), where compound purification (chromatography, crystallization) and spectroscopic characterization (NMR, IR, CD, MS) are critical aspects of the research. Peczuh Group Web Site

Building Functional Nanodevices with Porous Nanocapsules Dr. Eugene Pinkhassik (Materials/Organic/Analytical/Nanoscience)

Our research group designs functional nanomaterials and devices with new and superior properties to address global challenges in energy-related technologies, sensing, and medical imaging and treatment. We have developed a directed assembly method for the synthesis of vesicle-templated nanocapsules. These nanocapsules offer a unique combination of properties enabled by robust shells with the single-nanometer thickness containing programmed uniform pores capable of fast and selective mass transfer. Vesicle-templated nanocapsules emerged as a versatile platform for creating functional devices, such as nanoreactors, nanosensors, and containers for drug delivery.

The REU student will learn an array of synthetic and analytical techniques ranging from the synthesis of polymer nanocapsules, using self-assembled structures to direct organic synthesis, characterizing nanoscale objects with light scattering and electron microscopy, and evaluating the performance of newly created nanodevices with spectroscopic and chromatographic methods. Having mastered the synthesis of nanocapsules, the REU student will use the capsules to build nanodevices aiming at one of the following applications: nanoreactors with encapsulated homogeneous or enzymatic catalysts, highly selective nanoprobes, containers for the delivery of drugs or imaging agents, or cell-mimicking devices capable of through-shell communication.

Pinkhassik Group Web site

Reliability and Engineering of Molecules and Materials Next-generation Electronics. Dr. Rebecca Quardokus (physical/materials/nanoscience)

The Quardokus group focuses on the reliability and engineering of molecules and new materials for next-generation electronics. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), with its ability to image individual atoms and molecules, is the primary tool used to investigate surface-confined molecular interactions and two-dimensional materials.  The systems of interest include self-assembled monolayers, two-dimensional polymers, surface-confined reactions, hierarchical designs, and surface-confined molecular rotors and switches. Quardokus Group Web Site

Enzyme-assembled Nanocapsules for Targeted Drug Delivery Dr. Jessica Rouge (Biological Chemistry)

We seek to design, synthesize and characterize nanomaterials that can target specific cell types for the delivery of therapeutic nucleic acids and small molecule drugs.

Nanomaterials have revolutionized the way drugs can be delivered thanks to their small size and enhanced chemical stability. However the ability to direct them to specific cellular targets and to control the release of their therapeutic cargo has been a major obstacle in the field. Our lab seeks to develop new materials that can direct the localization of a nanomaterial to specific cell receptors through the use of DNA aptamers. Aptamers are DNA and RNA sequences that strongly bind specific cellular locations or proteins. We are also interested in controlling the release of the nanomaterials contents through interactions with specific enzymes (esterases). We work to synthesize new substrates that can direct enzymes to the surface of nanomaterials in order to facilitate the enzyme-mediated assembly of chemically modified aptamers to particle surfaces along with the degradation of the nanomaterials itself.

An undergraduate researcher will be exposed to a highly interdisciplinary lab environment, being trained by both a graduate student and the faculty member. The students will learn both chemical and biochemical techniques such as nanoparticle synthesis, automated DNA synthesis, HPLC, PCR, RNA transcription and other enzymatic reactions. Rouge Group Web Site

Cancer Biomarker Detection by Immunoarrays Dr. James F. Rusling (Analytical, Physical Chemistry)

The student will develop analytical protocols for these analyses in serum samples, and attempt to improve sensitivity, detection limit and reproducibility compared to our existing arrays. The student will learn state-of-the-art biomedical sensor preparation technology utilizing nanoparticles and ink-jet biomolecule spotting. The student will also gain experience in electrochemical, AFM and spectroscopic analyses to monitor array fabrication, and the use amperometry for biomarker detection with the microfluidic arrays. Rusling Group Web Site

Catalysts, Ceramics, Batteries, and Adsorbents Dr. Steven L. Suib (Inorganic Chemistry)

Departments of chemistry, chemical engineering, and materials science and engineering, and institute of materials science..

Our NSF funded research program involves the preparation of aligned crystallites on solid surfaces that can be used as Catalysts, Ceramics, Batteries, and Adsorbents. Much of this research involves synthesis of novel metal oxide and sulfide materials that are densely packed but accessible to chemical reagents for distinct chemical and physical reactions.

Figure 1, Diagram of Oriented Fibers; Synthesis, Scanning Electron Micrograph and Coated Product.

Figure 1 above shows a diagram of one of the synthetic processes that is used to make such oriented crystallites. These nano-sized materials are shown to be well aligned in the scanning electron micrograph shown above. The photograph on the right in Figure 1 is that of an uncoated (cream color) cordierite monolith like that in an auto exhaust system in cars and the coated (dark brown) honeycomb support with aligned crystallites. A major advantage of the alignment is that more accessible sites are available for whatever the specific application might be.

For example, the materials in Figure 1 are being studied as auto exhaust catalysts and have shown excellent activity and stability in the oxidation of CO and the reduction of NO x . the same types of oriented materials can enhance the capacity of battery materials, and increase the amount of adsorption for example of extracting harmful sulfur and nitrogen species from a variety of fuels. Many of these materials act as ceramic systems that are stable at very high (> 500 o C) temperatures.

The type of research that would be done under an REU summer program would involve any aspect of synthesis, characterization, or applications of such oriented materials. Related goals of this research program involve use of green reagents, regeneration and sustainability of systems, and scale-up of materials and processes.

References.

Chen, S. Y.; Song, W.; Lin, H. J.; Wang, S.; Biswas, S.; Mollahosseini, M.; Kuo, C. H.; Gao, P. X.; Suib, S. L.; Manganese Oxide Nano-Array Based Monolithic Catalysts: Tunable Morphology and High Efficiency for CO Oxidation, ACS Appl. Mat.  & Int ., 2016, 8 , 7834-7842.

Dutta, B.; Biswas, S.; Sharma, V.; Savage, N. O.; Alpay, S. P.; Suib, S. L., Mesoporous Manganese Oxide Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Coupling of Anilines to Aromatic Azo Compounds, Ang. Chem. Int. Ed ., 2016, 55 , 2171-2175.

Synthesis of molecules emitting chiral light Dr. Gaël Ung (Inorganic/organic)

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is the preferential emission of light with a certain circular polarization. Upon non-polarized light absorption, a chiral molecule reaches a preferential excited state which radiatively decays by emitting circularly polarized photons. CPL has emerged as a next-generation light source since the added chiral optical information presents unique opportunities to enhance optical displays, bio-imaging, and security f eatures for banknotes and identification documents. The REU student will synthesize chiral and enantiopure ligands, and study their coordination to lanthanides. The complexes obtained should exhibit CPL. Our laboratory is equipped with two rare CPL spectrometers, including the only NIR-CPL in the Americas. The REU student will be trained in a large variety of synthetic techniques (bench top, Schlenk, glove box), as well as spectroscopic characterizations (NMR, UV-vis, IR, EPR, CPL).

Ung Group Web Site

Mass Spectrometry to Investigate Micro-Scale Preparation of Peptide Samples Dr. Xudong Yao (Analytical Chemistry and Biological Chemistry)

Mass spectrometry is used as a fast and sensitive tool to study peptides. Mass spectrometry analyzes charge-to-mass ratios of peptide ions in gas phase. A mass spectrum plots the intensities of ions against their charge-to-mass ratios. These ratios can be used to determine chemical structures of peptides, while the intensities give relative quantitation of the ions. Sample preparation of peptides is a key step for successful mass spectrometric analysis, and it is often done at a micro-scale. In REU summer projects, students will work on different sample manipulations of peptides such as chemical modification of peptide mixtures and use mass spectrometry to study the efficiency of various micro-scale procedures for peptide sample preparation. The REU project will specifically investigate analytical challenges in mass spectrometric analysis of phosphopeptides. Phosphopeptides are fragments of phosphoproteins that are important regulators for cellular signaling. Analysis of protein phosphorylation is important to understand and treat various human diseases and to manipulate the fate of stem cells for therapeutic and regenerative applications. The REU researcher will study ß-elimination and Michael addition reactions of phosphopeptides. Objectives of the project are to minimize side reactions and maximize the efficiency of the sample preparation workflow that will be examined by high performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Yao Group Web Site

Synthesis and application of metal and semiconductor nanoparticles Dr. Jing Zhao (Analytical and Physical Chemistry)

ANNOTATED SAMPLE GRANT PROPOSALS

How to Use Annotated Sample Grants

Are these real grants written by real students.

Yes! While each proposal represents a successfully funded application, there are two things to keep in mind: 1) The proposals below are  final products;  no student started out with a polished proposal. The proposal writing process requires stages of editing while a student formulates their project and works on best representing that project in writing. 2) The samples reflect a wide range of project types, but  they are not exhaustive . URGs can be on any topic in any field, but all must make a successful argument for why their project should be done/can be done by the person proposing to do it.  See our proposal writing guides for more advice. The best way to utilize these proposals is to pay attention to the  proposal strengths  and  areas for improvement  on each cover page to guide your reading.

How do I decide which sample grants to read?

When students first look through the database, they are usually compelled to read an example from their major (Therefore, we often hear complaints that there is not a sample proposal for every major). However, this is not the best approach because there can be many different kinds of methodologies within a single subject area, and similar research methods can be used across fields.

• Read through the Methodology Definitions and Proposal Features  to identify which methodolog(ies) are most similar to your proposed project. 
• Use the Annotated Sample Grant Database ( scroll below the definitions and features) filters or search for this methodology to identify relevant proposals and begin reading!

It does not matter whether the samples you read are summer grants (SURGs) or academic year grants (AYURGs).  The main difference between the two grant types is that academic year proposals (AYURG) require a budget to explain how the $1,000 will be used towards research materials, while summer proposals (SURG) do not require a budget (the money is a living stipend that goes directly to the student awardee) and SURGs have a bigger project scope since they reflect a project that will take 8 weeks of full time research to complete.  The overall format and style is the same across both grant cycles, so they are relevant examples for you to review, regardless of which grant cycle you are planning to apply.  

How do I get my proposal to look like these sample grants?

Do not submit a first draft:  These sample proposals went through multiple rounds of revisions with feedback from both Office of Undergraduate Research advisors and the student’s faculty mentor. First, it helps to learn about grant structure and proposal writing techniques before you get started. Then, when you begin drafting, it’s normal to make lots of changes as the grant evolves. You will learn a lot about your project during the editing and revision process, and you typically end up with a better project by working through several drafts of a proposal.

Work with an advisor:  Students who work with an Office of Undergraduate Research Advisor have higher success rates than students who do not. We encourage students to meet with advisors well in advance of the deadline (and feel free to send us drafts of your proposal prior to our advising appointment, no matter how rough your draft is!), so we can help you polish and refine your proposal.

Review final proposal checklists prior to submission:  the expectation is a two-page, single-spaced research grant proposal (1″ margins, Times New Roman 12 or Arial 11), and proposals that do not meet these formatting expectations will not be considered by the review committee.  Your bibliography does not count towards this page limit.

Academic Year URG Submission Checklist

Summer URG Application Checklist

METHODOLOGY DEFINITIONS & PROPOSAL FEATURES

Research methodologies.

The proposed project involves collecting primary sources held in archives, a Special Collections library, or other repository. Archival sources might include manuscripts, documents, records, objects, sound and audiovisual materials, etc. If a student proposes a trip to collect such sources, the student should address a clear plan of what will be collected from which archives, and should address availability and access (ie these sources are not available online, and the student has permission to access the archive).

Computational/Mathematical Modeling

The proposed project involves developing models to numerically study the behavior of system(s), often through computer simulation. Students should specify what modeling tool they will be using (i.e., an off-the-shelf product, a lab-specific codebase), what experience they have with it, and what resources they have when they get stuck with the tool (especially if the advisor is not a modeler). Models often involve iterations of improvements, so much like a Design/Build project, the proposal should clearly define parameters for a “successful” model with indication of how the student will assess if the model meets these minimum qualifications.

Creative Output

The proposed project has a creative output such playwriting, play production, documentary, music composition, poetry, creative writing, or other art. Just like all other proposals, the project centers on an answerable question, and the student must show the question and method associated with the research and generation of that project. The artist also must justify their work and make an argument for why this art is needed and/or how it will add to important conversations .

Design/Build

The proposed project’s output centers around a final product or tool. The student clearly defines parameters for a “successful” project with indication of how they will assess if the product meets these minimum qualifications.

The project takes place in a lab or research group environment, though the methodology within the lab or research group vary widely by field. The project often fits within the larger goals/or project of the research group, but the proposal still has a clearly identified research question that the student is working independently to answer.

Literary/Composition Analysis

The project studies, evaluates, and interprets literature or composition. The methods are likely influenced by theory within the field of study. In the proposal, the student has clearly defined which pieces will be studied and will justify why these pieces were selected. Context will be given that provides a framework for how the pieces will be analyzed or interpreted.

Qualitative Data Analysis

The project proposes to analyze data from non-numeric information such as interview transcripts, notes, video and audio recordings, images, and text documents. The proposal clearly defines how the student will examine and interpret patterns and themes in the data and how this methodology will help to answer the defined research question.

Quantitative Data Analysis

The project proposes to analyze data from numeric sources. The proposal clearly defines variables to be compared and provides insight as to the kinds of statistical tests that will be used to evaluate the significance of the data.

The proposed project will collect data through survey(s). The proposal should clearly defined who will be asked to complete the survey, how these participants will be recruited, and/or proof of support from contacts. The proposal should include the survey(s) in an appendix. The proposal should articulate how the results from these survey(s) will be analyzed.

The proposed project will use theoretical frameworks within their proposed area of research to explain, predict, and/or challenge and extend existing knowledge. The conceptual framework serves as a lens through which the student will evaluate the research project and research question(s); it will likely contain a set of assumptions and concepts that form the basis of this lens.

Proposal Features

Group project.

A group project is proposed by two or more students; these proposals receive one additional page for each additional student beyond the two page maximum. Group projects must clearly articulate the unique role of each student researcher. While the uploaded grant proposal is the same, each student researcher must submit their own application into the system for the review.

International Travel

Projects may take place internationally. If the proposed country is not the student’s place of permanent residence, the student can additionally apply for funding to cover half the cost of an international plane ticket. Proposals with international travel should likely include travel itineraries and/or proof of support from in-country contacts in the appendix.

Non-English Language Proficiency

Projects may be conducted in a non-English language. If you have proficiency in the proposed language, you should include context (such as bilingual, heritage speaker, or by referencing coursework etc.) If you are not proficient and the project requires language proficiency, you should include a plan for translation or proof of contacts in the country who can support your research in English.

DATABASE OF ANNOTATED SAMPLE GRANTS

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AgriLife Today

Texas A&M AgriLife's digital magazine and newsroom

‘Phosphorus lady’ finds home at Texas A&M

Szerlag carving out a niche in the world of soils.

May 17, 2024 - by Kay Ledbetter

Growing up on a dairy farm in Massachusetts, Kate Szerlag, Ph.D., was no stranger to phosphorus, a nutrient byproduct of manure that can have both positive and negative environmental impacts.

Now, the new assistant professor of soil and water chemistry in the Texas A&M College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Department of Soil and Crop Sciences said she is known as the “crazy phosphorus lady” because the study has become her passion.

Plants and microorganisms rely on the soil for essential nutrients, such as phosphorus and sulfur, to synthesize numerous essential metabolites, including DNA, membranes, amino acids, proteins and enzymes.

Building a niche phosphorus research program

Szerlag said she didn’t even think she would go to college growing up on the dairy farm, but about five years after graduating high school, she attended community college and did well. She went to the University of Massachusetts, Amherst for a bachelor’s degree in environmental science and a master’s in environmental conservation, followed by a doctorate in plant and soil sciences from the University of Delaware.

Don Sparks, Ph.D., author of Environmental Soil Chemistry, came to speak while Szerlag was completing her master’s, and “I was hooked,” she said. She reached out to Sparks to continue her doctorate in soil chemistry and was offered a position. Sparks, now a Hagler Fellow at Texas A&M University , is known for using synchrotron-based radiation to study elements in the soil.

Szerlag said it’s a full-circle moment for her. Because if phosphorus is her passion, she will tell you the synchrotron, specifically the National Synchrotron Light Source II , NSLS II, at Brookhaven National Lab on Long Island, has quickly become her “happy place.”

She explained that NSLS II is a giant circular building with a circumference of about one-half mile. NSLS II and other synchrotrons work by speeding up electrons to nearly the speed of light in the storage ring. The electron beam is utilized at individual beamlines that come off the storage ring where high radiation is emitted. This allows scientists to determine things in the sample on the atomic scale.

“I use it for determining the types of phosphorus in the soil,” Szerlag said. “It’s called speciation – just like you have animal species, there are also phosphorus species, such as calcium phosphates, iron phosphates and aluminum phosphates.

“Determining the types of phosphorus in the soil helps us determine the solubility of the phosphorus as it relates to plant availability needed for nutrient uptake. Or it could be susceptible to causing environmental damage because when phosphorus exits the field, it can cause eutrophication in water bodies. The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico – that’s from excess phosphorus and nitrogen in the water.”

Research studies across the state

Szerlag is also conducting root exudate experiments using synchrotron-based radiation, collaborating with Julie Howe , Ph.D., professor and associate department head for undergraduate programs; Peyton Smith , Ph.D., soil carbon dynamics assistant professor; graduate students Caleb Shackleford and Harrison Coker; and undergraduate student India Reddell, all in the Department of Soil and Crops Sciences.

Plants exude a variety of compounds from their roots into the soil. Work by Howe’s lab found that concentrations of phosphorus and sulfur in root exudates vary with increasing drought stress. However, very little is known about phosphorus and sulfur compounds in root exudates, and their fate in the soil is unclear.

While it is hypothesized these metabolites are strategically released to stimulate beneficial microbial associations in the soil microbiome, Szerlag said very little is known about this process or the fate of released elements and their interactions with soil particles. 

“With this research, we will investigate the chemical speciation of the phosphorus and sulfur compounds in two artificial soils incubated with root exudates collected from aeroponically grown plants under both well‐watered and drought conditions,” she said.

While the experiments are being completed by Shackelford, Szerlag said her role is to look at the phosphorus species. The root exudates will be applied to artificial soil and incubated for several months to form micro aggregates before being taken to the synchrotron to see what species of phosphorus and sulfur are in the soils.

Szerlag said it is important to understand the complete ecosystem of what’s happening between the plant and soil. Preliminary data from the team’s research shows when plants are under drought stress, they release certain nutrients into the soil.

“The team wants to know what nutrients are being released and why,” she said. “What forms of these nutrients are being released into the soil. If plants are leaking phosphorus, why and where is it going? This is a new area of research; it’s novel.”

Another collaboration of Szerlag’s is studying the impact of a dairy waste lagoon on a playa lake near Lubbock. She is working with longtime collaborator Matt Siebecker, Ph.D., assistant professor of applied environmental soil chemistry at Texas Tech University, and his graduate students to examine the playa lake phosphorus, sulfur and potassium speciation. Siebecker and his students collect the samples and then take them to the synchrotron to meet with Szerlag and Reddell to determine speciation at the beamline.

Szerlag also has a unique study concerning the salinity effects on phosphorus speciation and release, relating to sea level rise. She started her salinity work as an assistant professor at Westfield State University in Massachusetts. Her doctoral research showed sulfate can remove phosphorus from the soil, especially from coastal agricultural soils.

“We found sulfate releases more phosphorus from soils than other desorbing solutions,” she said. “We were among the first to note this, and that is prompting more experiments on the phosphate interaction with sulfate.”

She started the salinity work during her doctorate with Sparks and continued at her last position. She now collaborates with Leili “Fatemeh” Izaditame, Ph.D., research scientist at the University of Texas, Dallas, and Felipe Aburto , Ph.D., assistant professor of pedology and soil biogeochemistry in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.

Logging time at the synchrotron

Szerlag aims to carve out a niche for microfocused synchrotron work with phosphorus.

Most people do bulk samples with a large beam size of 2 x 2 millimeters for X-ray absorption near-edge structure, XANES, which basically provides a phosphorus fingerprint unique to the phosphorus species present. Szerlag uses a microfocused beam, 5 x 5 microns, to first make a map of the soil and then probe phosphorus hotspots at the micron scale, providing more detailed speciation information.

Additionally, she commonly uses a multimodal approach, meaning using two different beamlines to map the same location on the sample. This approach gives information about phosphorus speciation in relation to other elements phosphorus commonly interacts with – iron, manganese, calcium and aluminum – present at that location in the soil.

To get beamtime, scientists must write a proposal, have it reviewed and scored by a panel, and receive a score good enough to get beamtime. It is very competitive and difficult to get beamtime on her favorite beamlines; the tender energy spectroscopy, TES, beamline and X-ray fluorescence microprobe, XFM, beamline, both at NSLS II.

Szerlag is excited to have two proposals recently get time on three different beamlines.

“I am using novel methods at the synchrotron – multimodal methods to analyze phosphorus,” she said.

First, she uses a very small beam at TES to scan the sample and make an elemental map of the soils to determine the phosphorus co-location with the tender energy elements like aluminum, sulfur and silicon.

But phosphorus also binds to elements like iron, calcium and manganese above the energy range for TES, so she uses the multimodal approach to find the exact location on the soil sample and maps it again at the XFM beamline. Overlaying the two maps, she can co-locate phosphorus with both the tender and hard energy elements.

“By determining the phosphorus speciation at the micron scale, we can get more detailed phosphorus speciation in the soil,” Szerlag said. “Determining the speciation will help determine the solubility of phosphorus and therefore the phosphorus availability to plants and susceptibility to losses to the environment.”

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Green biomass: the impact of high-adhesion and well-dispersed binders on the sodium storage performance and interfacial interaction of hard carbon anodes †.

* Corresponding authors

a School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, South China University of Technology, 381Wushan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, China E-mail: [email protected]

b School of Chemical Engineering and Light Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Resources Biorefinery, Guangdong University of Technology, Waihuan Xi Road 100, Guangzhou, China E-mail: [email protected]

Hard carbon (HC) exhibits promising potential as an anode material for sodium-ion batteries; however, it is confronted with challenges such as low initial coulombic efficiency (ICE) and poor rate performance. Developing biomass-based binders is a significant strategy to promote electrochemical performance and improve the stability of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI). In this work, green biomass of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and sodium lignosulfonate (LS) with excellent adhesion and dispersibility is demonstrated as an efficient binder for hard carbon anodes. The semi-rigid skeleton of LS effectively wraps the hard carbon particles, surface modifies HC, and fills defects. The polar functional groups of the binder facilitate the adsorption of Na + and reduce irreversible Na + insertion. Furthermore, the functional groups induce the formation of a unique SEI layer. The SEI layer consists of an organic outer layer and an inorganic inner layer, promoting ion transport and mechanical integrity. Therefore, the HC anode with the CMC/LS binder demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 348 mA h g −1 at 0.05 A g −1 , a high ICE of 87%, and an outstanding rate performance with 243 mA h g −1 at 5 A g −1 .

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Green biomass: the impact of high-adhesion and well-dispersed binders on the sodium storage performance and interfacial interaction of hard carbon anodes

J. Jiao, C. Yi, X. Qiu, D. Yang, F. Fu and W. Liu, Green Chem. , 2024, Advance Article , DOI: 10.1039/D4GC00808A

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