Undergraduate Research (UGR) is highly encouraged at South Florida State College (SFSC), a small Florida State College that mainly offers AA, AS and a selected few bachelor’s degrees. Not only do we host high school students in our labs during “Stem Day” where we engage students in dissections, DNA isolations, etc., but we also encourage students to become involved with a faculty member for an individualized lab project. Even with the pandemic, undergraduates at SFSC are finding ways to stay involved in research through lab meetings and UGR Forums where they learn how to write abstracts and prepare posters for conferences. They also hear from past students who shed light on their projects. Students connect with a project that interests them and/or create their own. Over the course of their two years at SFSC, they learn an array of lab techniques pertaining to their project. We started off in the Department of Natural Science, but now we have expanded to other disciplines. Students also are presented with opportunities to present at state and international scientific Conferences, whether in person or virtual. Our UGR students also been awarded grants for projects. Showcasing their achievements at our annual UGR presentation and other college-wide opportunities has helped garner increased student interest and involvement as evident from our increasing UGR student body. We believe UGR offers students deeper learning in subjects and preparation to transfer to Universities.

Development of undergraduate research at a small state college

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.