Project Grant 2243968

This Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry provides $360,000 to support an undergraduate research experience program at Western Washington University from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2026. The funding supports the Research Experiences for Undergraduates site award program, which will provide hands-on research training to eight students per summer for 10 weeks over three years in the fields of biochemistry, synthetic chemistry, and materials chemistry. The program aims to broaden participation in STEM and support the transition to four-year universities for undergraduates from underrepresented groups and institutions with limited research opportunities. Students undertake collaborative research projects and attend professional development seminars to build skills in areas such as laboratory techniques, scientific communication, and career initiation in chemistry. The award supports the NSF's mission through its Mathematical and Physical Sciences program to strengthen the nation's scientific enterprise and increase understanding of major problems through promotion of research in these fields.