Undergraduate Programs

Research Opportunities

C409 Chemical Research

Chemistry's Undergraduate Research Program serves to acquaint students with the nature of chemical research and to provide rewards for creativity and good scholarship. Acceptance into this program is a privilege and an honor. Students conducting undergraduate research work closely with a faculty advisor and with the graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, and other scientists in the group. They are expected to participate in all aspects of the research problem: studying the original research literature, designing projects, and interpreting results. They are expected to contribute to the group: collaborating with the others in the group and actively participating in group meetings. Students earn academic credit for their laboratory research through our Chemical Research course, C409. There are scholarships offered annually through the Department of Chemistry, as well as the Honors College, for undergraduates who conduct research during the summer. At the end of the research experience, students prepare a written thesis and may also have the opportunity to present their findings at scientific meetings.

• How to Set Up a C409 Research Experience (PDF)
• C409 Faculty List
• Undergraduate Research Thesis Guidlines
• Summer Scholarships
• Additional Opportunities

Requirements and Policies

Eligibility for Enrollment in C409

• C409 Chemical Research is normally open only to students with a chemistry GPA of 3.0 or better who are making good progress toward the completion of a major in biochemistry or chemistry or related field. 
• Students who are retaking a course either to remove an incomplete or achieve a C-, will normally not be allowed to enroll in C409 until the course is completed satisfactorily.
• Prior to each semester of C409 enrollment, a C409 application must be completed.  For the first semester of C409, the C409 application must be approved by both the research advisor and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.  The applications for subsequent semesters of C409 require only approval by the research advisor.  The approval by the research advisor must include acceptance of the hours of C409 credit.  

Credit Hours and How They May Be Used Toward a Degree

• C409 may be taken for a total of l0 credits with a maximum of 3 credits per semester. 
• Generally, a student should register for at least one credit hour but not more than three credit hours per semester.  
• Approximately five to six hours per week of laboratory work are expected for each hour of credit in the fall and spring terms; 10 – 12 credit hours per week for each summer session. 
• C409 credits cannot be substituted for any courses required to complete a major in chemistry or biochemistry. 
• Chemistry BA and biochemistry BA majors may take C409 Chemical Research but should be aware that the hours will not count toward their chemistry major course or hour requirements.  The hours do, however, count toward their total graduation hours.
• BS Biochemistry and BS Chemistry majors who matriculated (started at IU) Fall 2005 or after must enroll in CHEM-G410 to receive research credit that will count towards one of the required laboratory course electives for these BS majors.  

Summer Research Scholarships

When funds are available research stipends or wages may be awarded.  Early spring term, students who are doing undergraduate research and who plan to do full-time research during the summer, are encouraged to apply for a summer research scholarship from the Dept. of Chemistry and the Hutton Honors College.

Completion of C409 and Assessment

Each semester an assessment form to track student progress is sent to the C409 research adviser and their C409 student for completion and return to the Undergraduate Office.  As a rule, only grades of R (for research) will be recorded for each term of C409 until the student has finished his/her research project.  The C409 grade will be given only when 1) the research director has approved the student’s research thesis and 2) this approved thesis is submitted to the Undergraduate Office.  Note that the C409 credit hours will not count toward a degree until a grade is given.   

The Research Thesis

When the student intends to finish the research project, s/he must prepare a research thesis under the direction of his/her research advisor.  Guidelines for the Undergraduate Research Thesis are listed on this link .  Before the research advisor can assign a final C409 grade, the student must complete all revisions required by the research advisor.  Before the grade can be processed, the final approved copy of the thesis must be submitted to the Undergraduate Office. 

Summer Scholarships

Chemistry majors are eligible to apply for summer undergraduate research scholarships. These scholarships are intended for undergraduates already engaged in research activities who can benefit from essentially full-time summer research. Only those students who will be enrolled as undergraduates during the next academic year are eligible to apply. Applications from students and supporting statements from their faculty research mentors are due in the Undergraduate Office in early February. The summer research awards are announced each year at the annual Chemistry Honors Banquet in April.

These scholarships are made possible by monies from various contributions including corporate sponsors (Pharmacia Corporation, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly), The Ira E. Lee Memorial Fund in Chemistry and The Harry G. Day Summer Research Scholarships. In the summer of 2002 these scholarships paid $3,000.00 for 10 weeks of full-time research.

The Honors College Undergraduate Honors Research Grant Program is another source of monies for juniors and seniors engaging in research. All eligible applicants to the departmental scholarship program are also expected to file applications with this program as well. The criteria are: promise of productive scholarship, motivation, and skill in research (as reflected by grades and faculty recommendations; significance of project, feasibility and quality of proposal; realism of the budget and equitable distributions of grants among departments). The amount of the award varies. Application is made through the Honors Division (324 N. Jordan Ave.) and is due the Friday prior to spring break each year.

Other Opportunities

The Initiative for Minority Student Development (IMSD)

The NIH-IMSD Scholars Program at Indiana University-Bloomington is an undergraduate summer research program that also offers academic support throughout the school year. The Initiative for Minority Student Development (IMSD) Program is funded by the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) General Medical Sciences' Division of Minority Opportunities in Research, through their Minority Biomedical Research Support (MBRS) Branch. The IMSD Program at Indiana University at Bloomington is one of a limited number of NIH funded "Initiative for Minority Student Development Programs."

IU Science, Technology, and Research Scholars Program (IUSTARS)
If you're an outstanding high school student and you're planning a career in science, you may qualify for an opportunity to conduct research over four years while earning a bachelor's degree at IU. Students in the IUSTARS program connect with IU research faculty at the offset of their Freshman year and begin laboratory research during their first semester. Several IU faculty from a variety of scientific fields, including Chemistry, participate in this program. Interested high school students should go to the IUSTARS homepage for more information and to apply.

Internships
In addition to learning how the chemistry you are studying in class is applied in the work-world, an internship is perhaps that most useful way to determine whether or not a career is for you. The Undergraduate Office (UGO) serves as the repository for summer internship program announcements received by the Chemistry Department. The positions are generally located at academic and government sites. In addition, the UGO is working to find summer internships in industrial settings from a wide variety of sources. Summer internship opportunities will be posted at this web site.

National Reseach Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Programs
NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of a host institution during the summer. The REU sites host students from other institutions. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel.

Indiana University Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) in Chemistry, REU Site
Indiana University is proud to host an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) site. NSF funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of a host institution during the summer. Each REU sites host students from other institutions therefore IU students would not be eligible for the IU REU program and are encouraged to look into another REU Site. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel.

Chemical Cooperative Education Program
The primary purpose of the co-op program is to provide the student interested in future employment in the chemical industry with an integrated program of university classroom education and actual work experience. Our Co-op Program is usually five years in length, during which the student completes all course requirements for a B.S. in Chemistry or a B.S. in Biochemistry and gains approximately two years of practical experience as a working chemist. Though the program is not intended for every student, those choosing to enter the program will learn to relate chemical theory encountered in textbooks and the classroom to applied situations in industry. Students will gain valuable knowledge needed to make a realistic long-term career choice. Finally, the salary earned during the periods of employment may enable a student to complete his or her undergraduate education. Academic credit toward graduation is received from participation in the Co-op Program.