Inter American University of PR is a private university with nine campuses and two professional schools. Ponce Campus is located at the south of the island. The Department of Science and Technology in our campus have around 700 students enrolled in our STEM programs, seven of nine programs have general chemistry and organic chemistry courses in their curriculum. Our goal is to create a strong mentoring and research program to promote our students continue to graduate school and have better opportunities of employment. We started with some research activities in organic chemistry laboratory course. The research activities selected were based in the applications of polymers in drug delivery systems and the analysis of drugs linked with nanostructures. Those activities included literature review, lab design and performed the experiments. For the literature review and lab design, group discussion activities were organized. At the end of the semester a “mini symposium” for the presentation of the research projects were celebrated. The number of students impacted per semester in this laboratory is around 70. The incorporation of these projects promotes the interest of our students to continue with research activities since 2011. Each year more students are interviewed for the spots with our faculty members and other courses (Biochemistry and General Chemistry) are introducing the research activities. In a ten-year period more than 60 students were impacted. The students that participated in research activities, mentoring and internships (NIH STEP UP, NSF-REU among others) obtained great offers for graduate schools around the nation and great job deals. A summary of the histories of success will be presented. Dr. Merlis Alvarez, one of our new faculty members is engaged with research and external funding, mini grants such as HSI NSF stem hub are obtained and this year a new NSF proposal for increasing STEM students’ engagement and retention through materials science based undergraduate research experiences are gained.

Research mentoring chem labs activities@Inter Ponce: A series of fortunate events

ACS Spring 2022

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