Physical chemistry research groups at liberal arts colleges are generally hard to establish not only because of the difficulty of the experiments, but also because of lack of student interest.  Nanoscience research topics offer viable projects for faculty at these institutions wishing to establish active physical chemistry research programs.  In this talk, I will describe two nanoscience projects in which a number of undergraduate students have participated.  In one we are developing platinum and palladium nanocatalysts for performing hydrogenation reactions in water, while in the second we are investigating zinc sulfide nanocrystals in photocatalysis and biological/environmental toxicity.  For each project I will provide recommendations on identifying student roles, on designing projects for both summer and academic year research, and on seeking external collaborators to gain access to necessary instrumentation.  Finally, I will discuss the success of both projects as measured in student involvement, publications, and placement of students upon graduation.

Development of a nanoscience research program at a primarily undergraduate institution

244th National Meeting (2012)

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