The department hosted a reception for 35 visiting undergraduate scholars from several summer research programs who have conducted research in faculty labs.
On August 13, 2015, the visiting scholars gathered with their mentors (faculty and lab members) at the reception in the future Young Hall Student Center. Prior to the reception, several of the scholars participated in a poster session for Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) scholars at the California NanoSystems Institute (CNSI).
The department is looking forward to bringing more undergraduate visiting scholars to UCLA in the future. A recently received substantial grant will fund a UCOP-HBCU initiative for the department to bring talented students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to UCLA. For three years, starting July 2016, the department will collaborate with Howard University, Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University to invite six students each summer (two from each campus) to participate in the program. The success of the 2015 pilot HBCU program confirmed the viability of the project for the future.
Professor and Chair Miguel Garcia-Garibay addresses the visiting scholars and their mentors at the reception.
(Left) Professor and Chair Miguel Garcia-Garibay, (right) CSST scholar Youyuan Zhang with Professor Garcia-Garibay.
(Left to right) Houk Group members & visiting students: graduate student mentor Janice Lin, Jose Lopez (CCHF Scholar), faculty mentor Professor Ken Houk, Yu Jin (CSST Scholar), Tom Aunins (Amgen Scholar) & graduate student mentor Jessica Grandner.
(Left to right) CSST scholars Tian Deng, Mengzhen Chen and Yang Song with faculty mentor Professor Yung-Ya Lin.
(Left) Faculty mentor Professor Hosea Nelson (center) with HBCU scholars Isaac Wilkins and Nneze Akwiwu, (right) HBCU scholar Chelsea Nnebe with her poster at the SPUR poster session.
HBCU scholars Isaac Wilkins (left) and Thomas Iyile (right) explain their research at the SPUR poster session.
(Left) Professor and Chair Professor Miguel Garcia-Garibay with his mentee HBCU scholar Nneze Akwiwu, (right) HBCU scholar Thomas Iyile (center) with mentors Professor Cathy Clarke (right) and graduate student Agape Awad (left).
The visiting undergraduate scholars were participants in the several undergraduate summer research programs listed below. Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR):
The UCLA Summer Programs for Undergraduate Research (SPUR) offer upper division undergraduate students with outstanding academic potential the opportunity to work closely with faculty mentors on research projects. The programs are designed for students who wish to learn more about the graduate school experience and possibly pursue an academic career in teaching and research. Generally, the students visit for 8 to 10 weeks. Of the 17 SPUR 2015 programs, the Chemistry and Biochemistry visiting scholars were participants in the following programs: Amgen Scholars
Center for Academic & Research Excellence (CARE) Science, Engineering and Math (SEM)
Center for Selective C–H Functionalization (CCHF) Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP)
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)
Maximizing Access to Research Careers (MARC)
Summer Program for Undergraduate Research – Life and Biomedical Sciences (SPUR-LABS)
University of California Leadership Excellence through Advanced Degrees (UC LEADS) The SPUR scholars visited from Emory University, Howard University, Northwestern University, Spelman College, Scripps College, UC Berkeley, University of Connecticut, University of Maryland, UC San Diego, UC Riverside, and Yale. Cross-disciplinary Scholars in Science and Technology (CSST):
The Cross-disciplinary Scholars in Science and Technology (CSST) program seeks to strengthen international collaboration by inviting highly accomplished students to study and engage in research at UCLA. The students are supported by institutional agreements with universities abroad and by scholarships from their home institutions. The 10 week program ends on September 11, 2015. The CSST scholars are visiting from the following Chinese universities: Beijing Institute of Technology, Fudan University, Jilin University, Nanjing University, Nankai University, Peking University, Shandong University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Sichuan University, Sun Yat-sen University, University of Science and Technology of China, Wuhan University, and Zhejiang University. Photos by Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
