As a professor at a small primarily undergraduate institution (Union College), I view research with undergraduate students as an extension of the educational experience of my students <i>and</i> as a way to advance my research. My students and I have experienced the greatest success when the research project addresses a practical environmental problem, when the overall project can be broken down into smaller units, and when the students are able to get involved in research early, though practicum and/or summer research. A major benefit to the students with whom I have worked is the hands-on experience they gain with a variety of analytical instruments, preparing them for future studies and careers in the field. Research in my lab is focused on the environmental and biological fate of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs), such as the active ingredients in sunscreen products (organic UV filter chemicals, UVFCs) and the chemicals that impart “non-stick” properties to many consumer products (perfluoroalkyl acids, PFAAs). In collaboration with undergraduate research students, I am currently investigating the photochemistry and toxicity of organic UVFCs and the biological fate of PFAAs. We are working to identify and isolate the photoproducts of organic UVFCs in order to assess their relative toxicities relative to the parent compounds, and we are developing more efficient analytical methods to assess the binding of PFAAs to soluble proteins. In this talk, I will present a few case studies of research projects with undergraduate students, focusing on what we accomplished and how both the student and I benefitted from the experience.

Environmental analytical chemistry research with undergraduate students at Union College: Case studies and lessons learned

249th National Meeting (2015)

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