Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Undergraduate students have a unique opportunity to perform research in one of our many interdisciplinary research labs. Most chemistry research students are chemistry majors. Chemistry majors seeking a B.S. degree are required to take at least eight credit hours of research through CHEM 391, 491, 492, and 493.

Apply to CHEM 391/491/492/493 here!

Course Summary:

• CHEM 391: First-time Chemistry researchers and those without substantial STEM research credit in other departments, 1-5 credits, one-time only, B.S. Chemistry majors must enroll in a minimum of 3 credit hours.
• CHEM 491: Returning Chemistry researchers, 1-5 credits per semester, repeatable.
• CHEM 492/493: Honors Senior Thesis, a year-long course, 5 credits per semester.

Although most Chemistry majors work with Rice Chemistry professors, we also encourage and support students doing chemistry-related research in other Rice departments or in the Texas Medical Center (TMC). To earn credit for your research, students must have an abstract for their research project approved by the CHEM 391/491 Course Instructor. To be approved for credit in the Chemistry Department, the research being performed must have a substantial and clear chemistry component or focus (defined broadly).

Students should expect to spend at least 3 hours per week (or at least 42 hours over the course of the semester) for each credit hour. In the first semester of independent research, students should enroll in CHEM 391 for at least 3 credit hours before the end of their junior year. Prior to enrollment, students must secure a position in a laboratory. In subsequent semesters, students should enroll in CHEM 491 for independent research (or CHEM 492/493 for honors thesis research) and may choose the appropriate number of credit hours with approval from their Research Advisor.

CHEM 491 is repeatable for credit and students wishing to pursue graduate school or other careers in research and applied science are encouraged to gain as much research experience as possible. Students are not limited to one lab and may choose another lab in subsequent semesters. However, a major advantage of continuing in one lab may include obtaining results to co-author a publication.

To learn more about Chemistry related opportunities, please visit HERE.

Undergraduate Honors Research, CHEM 492 (Fall) and CHEM 493 (Spring)

The Chemistry Honors Research Program, CHEM 492/493, offers students in their final year at Rice the opportunity to perform a two-semester, individual chemistry research project. These courses function as a pair and must be taken in the same academic year. Course requirements include (but are not limited to) completing a research proposal, a public presentation of findings, and a formal research report or thesis in the Spring term. Students must formally apply to CHEM 492/493 with the recommendation of their Research Advisor. If you are conducting research for a thesis outside the Chemistry Department, you must have an on-campus Chemistry Department secondary advisor. Applications must be submitted to the course instructor between February 1 - August 1 (early application submission is highly encouraged). Students who complete the Chemistry Honors Research Program are given primary consideration for "Distinction in Research and Creative Work," a university award for select undergraduates, chosen by the Department and granted at commencement, which appears on the transcript and diploma.

How do I register for Undergraduate Research?

First, start planning far in advance. Before enrolling in CHEM 391/491/492/493, you must be accepted into a laboratory. The deadline for course enrollment is several weeks before the start of the semester. Some labs may have extensive laboratory or safety training that must be completed before the start of the semester. Labs at the Texas Medical Center often have access control regulations that require filling paperwork months in advance of starting in the lab.

Once you have secured a research position, you must fill out and submit an online application.

The online application must be submitted by August 1st for the Fall term, December 1st for the Spring term, or April 1st for the Summer term to ensure enrollment in CHEM 391/491/492/493. Once you have submitted the online application, the Course Instructor (either Dr. Gilbertson or Dr. Yearty) will verify your position and proposed research project with the Research Advisor and then submit a registration override via Esther. No paper special registration form is required to be signed or submitted, and only the Course Instructor (not Research Advisors) is authorized to enroll students. If you have any questions about enrollment, please contact the Course Instructor.

Please see "How Do I Find a Research Opportunity?" for more information.

Summer Research Opportunities
In addition to CHEM 391, 491, 492 and 493, a limited number of opportunities exist for undergraduates to do research during the summer. The summer research opportunities include the Dr. Paul S. Engel Fellowship, the George Holmes Richter Memorial Fellowship and the Zevi & Bertha Salsburg Memorial Fellowship in Chemistry. These are sometimes paid positions, as opposed to being taken for credit. Information regarding applying for these summer opportunities will be sent to all students on the Chemistry Undergraduate listserv in the late Fall of each academic year. To join the listserv, email chemhelp@rice.edu.

In addition, the Department of Chemistry has a Canvas site to post research opportunities at Rice and other institutions. Click here to join the site.

Special Note for international students: Most international students interested in summer research should apply for an F-1 OPT (Optional Practical Training). An OPT is appropriate for all students working off campus, and most students working on campus as well. In limited cases where a student plans to conduct research at Rice for credit, the F-1 CPT (Curricular Practical Training) may be appropriate.

International students should make summer plans well in advance; OPT applications typically require 60 days (or up to 90 days) processing time. Please consult Rice OISS with any questions.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships
The Chemistry Department has several undergraduate research fellowships available for Summer 2023 to provide partial stipend support for a 10-week research project. Funding fluctuates every year and the stipend for Summer 2022 was $5,000: 70% will be provided by the department (up to $3,500) and 30% will be provided by your research advisor (up to $1,500).

If you are interested in applying, please start to identify a research advisor who will agree to support your application and to host you during the summer. If you would like help finding a research lab, please consult with your Chemistry Advisor.

TO APPLY
Please fill out the application form and send all materials (application, cv, unofficial transcript and research proposal) to Nancy Adler. There is a spring deadline for summer fellowship applications.

Undergraduate Travel Awards
The Chemistry Department encourages undergraduates engaged in independent research (typically CHEM 491 or CHEM 492) to apply for this travel award to present their research at regional and national research conferences, like the Spring and Fall ACS National Meetings. Students receiving funding MUST present a poster or give an oral presentation at the meeting.

The award will supplement travel costs (up to $400), hotel accommodations (up to $500) and the student registration fee (up to $129). Students registering for the ACS National Meeting must pay the ACS student membership fee ($29) in order to register at the student rate.

TO APPLY
Please fill out the application form and send all materials (application, unofficial transcript and abstract) to Nancy Adler.