Undergraduate Research
Research is an important component to the
development of students with the knowledge, and training
to achieve rewarding careers in chemical engineering or related
fields.
Students do both experimental and modeling research, and study a variety of problems in biological, chemical, and materials science and engineering.
NSF-sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates
Our department works in collaboration with the
National Science Foundation to host a
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) summer program.
This NSF-funded program provides participants with the opportunity
to interact with faculty, post-doctoral fellows and graduate
students in the lab while performing fundamental investigations in
Left: 2011 Summer REU Students
In addition, the Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels offers a REU program. The C2B2 program provides students with the opportunity to work at one of the four partnered institutions including the federal National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Colorado School of Mines, the University of Colorado at Boulder and Colorado State University. The video below captures student work and opinions from the Summer 2010 C2B2/NSF REU program.
Senior Thesis
The department offers a Senior Thesis Option as part of its course work. Senior Thesis students work for two consecutive semesters at 2 credit hours per semester on a research project under the supervision of a faculty member. Students are expected to complete a written thesis as well as poster and oral presentations that highlight the progress of their research. The Senior Thesis is listed as CHEN 4010 (first semester) and CHEN 4020 (second semester), and this two-semester sequence may be substituted for Chemical Engineering Laboratory 2 (CHEN 4130).
In order to qualify for Senior Thesis, students must:
1) Complete Chemical Engineering Laboratory 1 (CHEN 3130) with a grade of B or better.
2) Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.30.
3) Develop a project that is endorsed by a faculty research advisor.
4) Receive the approval of the Department's Senior Thesis Instructor (Professor Stoykovich).
Senior Thesis applications can be obtained in the ChBE office (ECCH 111) or by clicking here.
Students interested in Senior Thesis can contact
Professor Mark Stoykovich for more details.
Senior Thesis Guide is also available for student as a reference to time lines and
resources.
Independent Study for Credit
Undergraduates may register for an independent study project under the supervision of one of our faculty (CHEN 2840, 3840, or 4840). As a general rule of thumb, a three-credit-hour project will require 9 hours of research work per week. The independent study project course counts as a technical elective. These opportunities allow for individual contact with faculty and graduate students, and they provide a hands-on educational experience that cannot be obtained in the traditional classroom setting. Undergraduates are strongly encouraged to take advantage of these opportunities, especially if interested in graduate school or a career in scientific research.
The Independent Study Agreement and Application can be found under the "Forms" drop down box within the College of Engineering and Applied Science advising page.
Research for Pay
Another mechanism for undergraduates to perform independent research is to work on a project for pay on an hourly basis, either part-time during the academic year or full-time during the summer. Some faculty have research grants specifically designed to support undergraduates. Students may also find a research position through application to the College of Engineering's Discovery Learning Apprenticeship Program. Finally, students may apply for financial assistance through CU's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) or the BURST program: Bioscience Undergraduate Research Skills and Training.
The UROP office is located in Norlin S430, and their phone number is
303.492.2596.
The BSI office is in Porter B058, and the phone number is
303.492.8230.
Testimonials from Undergrads who have worked on research projects.
Angela Helstern: Many different types of medical devices are used in the body (i.e. tissue, pace makers, ect.). The implants effectiveness can be reduced by immune responses by the body. This response forms a collagen shell around the implant, changing how it performs its function. My research hopes to prevent this immune response by attaching PEG with degradable linkers to proteins in hope of suppressing macrophage response. As the protein is released, factors in the gel scaffold will allow tissue to grow or tissue function to be enhanced. Other factors will determine how quickly the protein is released to allow the proper rate of recovery to be achieved in the patient.
Dan Bates: Two major issues involving protein based theraputics are the stability and immunogenicity of the drugs in packaging. My research project has focused on the behavior of large protein therapeutics in the presence of water-silicone oil mixtures. The information that we are gathering has implications which may affect how protein based drugs are formulated and packaged into syringes. The ultimate goal of the research, and Prof. Randolph's group, is to help ensure that these amazingly helpful proteins remain safe and effective as they move from production to administration to patients.
Keith Beers: Metal-Insulator-Semiconductor (MIS) sensors can be used to detect the concentration of hydrogen gas in a flow system. The presence of other gases like carbon dioxide and acetylene can change the nature of this response. My research looks at the effects of hydrogen sulfide exposure to this change in response. Monte Carlo simulation code is being developed to describe these surface processes in hopes of better understanding the chemical basis for the change in response of the sensor.
Klarika Douves: In a patient with pathological pain, the spinal glial cells overproduce pro-inflammatory immune system messengers. The protein IL-10 has been shown to suppress the inflammation, temporarily reducing pain. My research uses a model of IL-10 and attaches PEG to the protein, improving stability and survivability in the body. The bioactivity and half-life of PEGylated model protien relative to unPEGylated both in vitro and in vivo will be characterized, and any conclusions drawn can be used to improve the effectiveness of IL-10 treatments.
Margarite Parker: Water is a potential source of hydrogen for a clean burning fossil fuel alternative. However, generating hydrogen with minimal environmental impact is a difficult task. My research involves reacting water vapor with a zinc catalyst to generate hydrogen gas. We are taking the partial pressure of hydrogen to determine the actual amount produced, compared to what would be produced in an ideal reaction, and ascertain the temperature and flow rates that would produce the best results. Optimization of these parameters would allow for the highest amount of hydrogen to be products as possible, bringing us one step closer to a cleaner way to generate energy.
