Undergraduate Research Opportunities
- CHEM 491 Research for Undergraduates (Offered Fall and Spring)
Undergraduate students have a unique opportunity to perform research in one of our many interdisciplinary research labs. Chemistry majors seeking a BS degree are required to take CHEM 491 (Undergraduate Research) for a minimum of 3 credit hours. CHEM 491 is repeatable for credit and students wishing to pursue graduate school or industrial application opportunities are encouraged to repeat the research experience. Students are not limited to one lab, and may choose another lab to work with in different semesters. Advantages of continuing in one lab may include obtaining enough results to co-author a publication.
Most CHEM491 students are chemistry majors and work in labs headed by Rice chemistry professors, but exceptions are possible. Students should enroll for three credit hours in the first semester taking CHEM491. In subsequent semesters, students may enroll for more or fewer credits with approval of their professor. Students should invest at least four hours of effort per week for each semester hour of credit. CHEM491 requires a research proposal, weekly reports and a final project (either a research paper in the fall semester or a poster presentation in the spring semester).
Additional information about the CHEM 491opportunities can be found by contacting the faculty member listed as instructor for the course.
- CHEM 492 Undergraduate Honors Research (Offered Fall)
The Chemistry Honors Research Program is a pair of courses offering our seniors and advanced juniors the opportunity to perform a two-semester, individual research project in a Chemistry research laboratory. The Honors Research Program courses function as a pair and must be taken in the same academic year. Registration for any of the courses requires commitment to register both. Requires a proposal (revised from application), at least 15 hours of laboratory research per week, monthly reports, a presentation, and formal progress report (abstract, aims, progress toward aims, discussion of results, plans for the spring semester. Research professor recommendation required. Application for admission required (application can be found below). May count as an advanced laboratory module.
- CHEM 493 Undergraduate Honors Research (Offered Spring)
The Honors Research Program courses function as a pair and must be taken in the same academic year. Requires at least 15 hours of laboratory research per week, monthly reports, a poster presentation, and a formal thesis. Prerequisites: CHEM492 Required. Research professor recommendation required. Application for admission required (application can be found below). May count as an advanced laboratory module.
In addition to CHEM 491, 492 & 493 as a conduit for performing research, a limited number of opportunities exist for undergraduates to do research during the summer. The summer research opportunities are sometimes paid positions, as opposed to being taken for credit. Please refer to the awards page for opportunities to apply for a summer internship or contact the professor with whom you would like to work for directly to check for availability.