Emphasizing the importance of undergraduate research

CHED 316

Joeseph Hartshorne, bjh29@pitt.edu, Garrett William Britton, gwb8@pitt.edu, Yori Zandria Snyder, yzs1@pitt.edu, and Ping Y. Furlan, furlan@pitt.edu. Chemistry Department, University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, 504 East Main Street, Titusville, PA 16354
One of our Chemistry Department's major focuses is on research and development within the field of Nanoscience, and here at UPT our undergraduates conduct research of their own. The affordability of the NanoSurf EasyScan2 Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) has made it an increasingly popular tool for nanoscience education and undergraduate research. In our studies, we prepare quantum dots, Polyaniline Nanofibers, gold nanoparticles, and ferrofluid nanoparticles, which are funded by an Innovation in Education Award Program from the University of Pittsburgh, for imaging these nanoparticles. The feasibility of using the EasyScan2 STM for undergraduate projects opens up meaningful research possibilities for students, especially those at small colleges with limited funding and resources. This opportunity motivates and prepares students to be further engaged in this modern field of nanoscience, which we believe is emerging as the next field of study that will revolutionize the country.