Opportunity Description:

The PR-CLIMB REU Site is designed to provide undergraduate students with high caliber interdisciplinary research experiences that will inspire interest in Chemistry graduate programs and also in the Puerto Rican biotechnology and pharmaceutical job markets as a viable career opportunity. To overcome a current economic crisis in Puerto Rico, it is a top priority to provide a first-rate intellectual experience that demonstrates the excellent quality of the university’s resources and the island’s job opportunities. Ten students will be located in a diverse set of research laboratories focused on fundamental studies of materials and biomolecules that may be engineered for applications in water purification, energy storage, sensing, drug design, and drug delivery. Through seven hands-on workshops, students will obtain a broad training on biomolecular synthesis, chemical fractionation, purity assessment, activity assays, and characterization via spectral, structural, and electrochemical approaches.