Undergraduate Chemistry Research
Undergraduate Research
Chemistry
Undergraduate research and mentorship is a fundamental pillar of the chemistry experience at RIT. Chemistry undergraduates learn lab techniques reserved for graduate students at other universities. Grab your lab coat, goggles, and gloves, and get ready to discover!
What Our Students Have to Say
"I like how first-year students can join a research group rather than wait until their third or fourth year. I also like the multiple opportunities to present work at conferences and have your name in publications."
Kaitlyn Clark '19, '22
Read Kaitlyn's Story
"I had little to no idea what research entailed, but with the guidance of faculty, I am now proficient in research. All my mentors have been helpful, including assisting me with my grant and scholarship applications."
Nana Aikins '21
Read Nana's Story
"My research mentor, Dr. Hans, was a good balance of being hands on and available to answer any questions while allowing me to be an independent researcher and come up with my own solutions and conclusions."
Chelsea Wiedman Burke '15
Read Chelsea's Story
What projects are our students working on?
- Synthesis and Characterization of Gallium Complexes for Monolayer Doping of Silicon
- FRET-Based Targeted Molecular Imaging Agent for the Photoacoustic Imaging of Breast Cancer
- Enhanced vesiculation of E. coli in the presence of beta-lactam antibiotics
- Composition of Volatile Compounds from Rare and Endangered Illicium species, Endemic to Hispaniola
- Characterization of materials used in clear face masks and of sustainable polymers
- Synthesis of Bismuth Nanoparticles for Applications in Oncology
- The Effect of Gamma-B Crystallin Inter-Protein Interactions on Cataract Formation
- Metal Doped Hematite Nanoparticles for Enhanced Diesel Combustion Efficiency
Work with a Professor
Work alongside professors who are experts in their field in state-of-the-art facilities.
Chemistry News
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November 15, 2023
![graphic with a portrait of Emiliano Brini, assistant professor, College of Science.]()
RIT researcher receives NIH funding to help design better drugs
Emiliano Brini, assistant professor in the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, has received an award from the National Institutes of Health to support his research on building the next generation of drugs. Brini and his team of students will develop computational tools that can predict the strength of the interaction between two proteins and how drugs will modify this interaction.
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October 30, 2023
![two college students in a classroom reading text on a tablet as a professor and A S L interpreter stand at the front of the room.]()
RIT scientists receive grant to expand work on a sign language lexicon for chemistry
A team of scientists at RIT will expand its work after receiving a large grant from the National Science Foundation to make chemistry more accessible for students who rely on American Sign Language interpreters in class. The team has been awarded nearly $380,000 for its proposal to transform chemistry for deaf and hard-of-hearing students via the design, implementation, and evaluation of a descriptive sign language lexicon.
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September 8, 2023
![two college professors standing next to each other, both wearing R I T medallions around their necks.]()
Two faculty members installed as Harris Endowed Professors in RIT’s College of Science
Christopher Collison was appointed to the Jane King Harris Endowed Professorship and Emmett Ientilucci was selected for the Gerald W. Harris Endowed Professorship by College of Science Dean Andre Hudson. RIT alumnus Jeffrey Harris ’75 (photographic science and instrumentation) and his partner, Joyce Pratt, established the professorships in 2022 with a generous gift in honor of Harris’s parents, the namesakes of the positions.
