Molecules Meet Materials (M3) REU for Summer

In this NSF-funded REU, undergraduates will pursue collaborative research projects, with a focus on chemistry at interfaces in which molecular processes occur on surfaces.

The Molecules Meet Materials (M3) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at the University of South Dakota (located in Vermillion, S.D.) supports the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2022-2024.

Preference is given to applications received through Tuesday, March 1.

In this program, funded by the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry, participants will pursue collaborative research projects, with a focus on chemistry at interfaces in which molecular processes occur on surfaces.

• The site will train students to use spectroscopy, electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and computational methods to study materials and molecules at interfaces.
• All students also take part in a professional development and ethics training program, with a focus on science communication and preparation for graduate school or industrial careers.
• Through independent research projects and workshop and seminar series, this site broadens participation in STEM.
• In collaboration with their peers and faculty mentors, the undergraduate students undertake individual projects, including core-shell plasmonic nanoparticles for applications in anti-counterfeiting, metal-organic supercontainers for biomass conversion, computational methods to improve f-block element separations, organic semiconductor materials from perfluoroalkylated aromatic molecules, nanoparticles with tailored surfaces for specific cellular surface targets such as plant cells, cancer cells, or bacterial cells in biofilms.

To increase diversity in the STEM pipeline, this REU will recruit underrepresented students from Tribal Colleges and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions.

Student Support

• $6000 Stipend
• $1,000 Living Expenses
• $1,000 Research Supplies
• $700 Conference Travel

Research Projects

The M3 REU projects include:

• Plasmonic Nanoparticles
• Metal-Organic Supercontainers
• Reactive F-Element Separations
• Perfluoroalkylated Organic Semiconductor Materials
• Particle Interaction in Biomedical Applications
• Nanoparticles for Phototherapy and Chemodynamic Therapy
• Polyoxovanadate-Alkoxide Catalysis
• Dipyrazolylpyridine Based Photosensitizers
• Heterogeneous Frustrated Lewis Pairs

Social Activities

The M3 REU facilitates many social activities to provide opportunities for interaction between students and faculty outside of the laboratory environment. Our goal is to establish a strong community spirit among the participants, which is vital for the students to know each other and their mentors and forge lifetime lasting connections. These connections are an essential component of a successful undergraduate research experiences program.

REU students and mentors have traditionally taken advantage of a wealth of activities in the area, such as visiting the National Music Museum, attending powwows in the region, visiting the Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery, and exploring the Missouri river, among others.

View further details on the M3 REU website.