Research at Colby College plays an Important Role in Students Scientific Careers

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:35:00

Research plays a powerful and important pedagogical role in preparing students for success in their future scientific careers. By grappling with a "real" problem framed as a research project, and personally experiencing the frustrations and triumphs of such an activity, a student will likely learn more about the field than by any other means.

Research projects in Das Thamattoor's lab are developed with the undergraduate students in mind. They are carefully designed to not only address important questions in organic chemistry, but also have a high "education content", and be compatible with the experience-level of the students. Specifically, the projects are intended to teach students to: (a) design and set up experiments, (b) synthesize, purify, and analyze compounds, (c) use research grade instruments and other experimental equipment to obtain data, (d) become proficient in modern computational methods, (e) retrieve information from the chemical literature, (f) interpret results, (g) work collaboratively with other scientists (h) write reports, (i) give oral presentations, and (j) publish their work in peer-reviewed journals. An especially important aspect of the lab's educational goals is to help students realize their maximum potential in a friendly, supportive, and nuturing atmosphere.

Over the years, the Thamattoor lab has established a vigorous undergraduate oriented research program. The projects are varied and span organic synthesis of biologically active compounds, reactive intermediates, structural chemistry of molecules with interesting architectures, computational chemistry, and photochemistry. So far over forty students have worked in the group on a variety of challenging research projects resulting in peer-reviewed publications, and presentations at national and international meetings. The program has attracted substantial external funding from private and federal agencies including the Petroleum Research Fund administered by the American Chemical Society, Research Corporation, and the National Science Foundation.

Over the past several years, the Thamattoor lab has hosted a number of students from area high schools as summer research scholars. Currently this program is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The high school students typically spend a few weeks in the lab working alongside Colby undergraduates and Das Thamattoor on original research projects in organic chemistry. This summer, the Thamattoor lab has partnered with the Maine Space Grant Consortium to host two high school students through the MERITS (Maine Research Internships for Teachers and Students) Program.

Successfully Commercialized NASA Technologies highlighted in NASA Spinoff

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 13:47:00

For more than 40 years, the NASA Innovative Partnerships Program has facilitated the transfer of NASA technology to the private sector, benefiting global competition and the economy. The resulting commercialization has contributed to the development of commercial products and services in the fields of health and medicine, industry, consumer goods, transportation, public safety, computer technology, and environmental resources.

Click here For more information on NASA's Spinoff and to view a searchable database.

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Research at Colby College plays an Important Role in Students Scientific Careers

Successfully Commercialized NASA Technologies highlighted in NASA Spinoff