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Onofrio Gaglione has written a timely and convincing article that advocates for conducting undergraduate research at two-year colleges (1).
My own background is similar to Gaglione’s. I moved from a four-year to a two-year institution 17 years ago—a move I do not regret. It is true that good teaching is the thrust at two-year colleges. Teaching loads are often heavy, especially in laboratory sciences, which are very labor intensive. I have found, however, that talking up student research often stirs students to try it. Good science does not always require a large amount of funding. With some ingenuity and some entreaty, interesting independent projects can be developed. Students who have participated in such activities in the past have gone on to fascinating careers in university research and teaching, the government (FBI), or private companies, where they usually rise to key positions. Some of my students are now doing postdoctoral work in neuroscience, working in government intelligence, designing hydraulic lifts, or performing quality control in cosmetic industries. Topics of some of the projects undertaken under my guidance are: Investigating the Properties of a Shape Memory Alloy; The Effects of Glucosamine and Chondroitin on Cartilage; Oolong and Green Teas: Do They Reduce Cholesterol?; An Analysis of Substances Used in Crime Investigation; Protein Folding Studies; Hyperthermia in Cancer Treatment; Molecular Modeling of Chemotherapeutic Drugs from Pyrethrum Flowers. Often, striking a balance between student interest and areas that fascinate me is enough to begin a small-scale project. I am certainly an advocate of undergraduate research participation. I believe that it enhances learning and it stimulates both students and the instructor in the novel, cutting edges, of science. Literature Cited- Gaglione, Onofrio. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 1613–1614.
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