Undergraduate research is an important component of the curriculum for most B.S. chemistry majors at Iowa. Undergraduate research provides students with an opportunity to work in a faculty member's laboratory and be involved in a scientific project that is likely to be on the forefront of chemical research. Undergraduate students will either have their own unique project or work closely with a graduate student. This research experience is, to a large extent, the same as that of a chemistry graduate student. Exposure to laboratory research outside of the classroom allows students to see how the research enterprise operates and to determine if a career in scientific research is appropriate for them. Further, such experience is invaluable regardless whether the students go to graduate school or directly into the work force. Not infrequently, undergraduate students generate work of sufficiently high quality work that a journal article or a presentation at a scientific meeting results.

Students can begin doing research at any point in their academic careers, but the best time to start is usually after the first semester of organic and before the student is a second semester senior. This allows students to develop a working background in chemistry and leaves enough time to learn the intricacies of the research and make progress on their project.

The procedure for finding a research mentor is as follows:

• Examine the research interests of the Iowa faculty and identify a few faculty members whose research you would like to learn more about.
• Talk to these faculty members about undergraduate research opportunities in their laboratories.
• Consider the available opportunities (you can discuss the possibilities with your advisor), and make a selection. Notify the faculty member you have chosen and make arrangements to begin work. Amongst the things to be decided are the number of hours a week you can do research and the appropriate number of credit hours.