Registration for Research Independent Study
Research Independent Study. (CHEM 191B-194) is an opportunity to work closely with a faculty member and his or her research group on a research project. The Department considers this research important both for its educational benefits and for the advancement of basic knowledge in the field of chemistry. Over the past decade the research results of Independent Study students in the Department have appeared in many publications in major professional journals, with the undergraduate student being listed as a co-author.
While it is not anticipated that the research project will be originated by the student, it is expected that the student will provide a high degree of independent thought and effort in the solution of the problem. For this reason it is essential that a student have a firm foundation in the principles and practices of chemistry before attempting an independent project. This background is obtained by completing, at least, the laboratory courses through physical chemistry. Students normally take CHEM 191B/192 during their junior and/or senior years.
Independent study in chemistry generally involves carrying out a scientific investigation (research) in chemistry or a chemistry-related area. A scientific investigation involves learning to make reproducible observations and measurements, using inductive and deductive reasoning to develop and test possible explanations of those observations (hypotheses), and communicating the results of your investigation in writing in the form of a formal research thesis and orally in the form of a poster session.
During the semester you will also be expected to participate in some monthly seminars arranged by Dr. Roy, Coordinator of Independent Study for Chemistry. See http://www.chem.duke.edu/undergraduates/research/is_req.php
Joining a Research Group. Participation in independent study usually involves joining an existing research group, which may be located in the chemistry department, or in a chemistry-related department elsewhere on campus, or in an approved nearby laboratory such as the Veterans Hospital or in Research Triangle Park.
To join a research group, you first have to decide what kind of research you find truly interesting. Your deep interest will be essential to your surviving some failures you will likely experience on your way to success.
You next need to determine what local groups are doing research in your area(s) of interest. Go online and look up research interests of faculty in the appropriate departments. Look at faculty research interests as described on faculty and research group websites. Click here for a complete listing of chemistry faculty, and follow links to faculty and research group websites. Some faculty maintain web sites that specifically address undergraduate research opportunities. See, for example: Dr. Beratan, Dr. Craig, Dr. Dubay, and Dr. Roy .
In addition, a major can identify faculty who do research in areas of interest to them, by going to the descriptions of their research interests found on their web sites. These web sites can be accessed from their department's home pages. Links to the most common departments in which chemistry majors have done independent study are biochemistry pharmacology, or environmental chemistry (Stapleton or Hsu-Kim)Majors may also work with a researcher who is on the clinical staff of the Medical Center (such as someone in the Cancer Center or at the VA hospital such as Dr. Dipak Ghosh). Frequently faculty web sites will also include links to their recent publications that you will find very helpful in determining a match for your interests.
Next you need to contact those faculty members whose research areas appeal to you to find out if they have openings in their research groups. If so, arrange to meet with them and discuss specific research problems that they have available. Notice that generally you will be asked consider problems that are already available rather than creating a research problem on your own. The reason for this is that research requires significant funding for supplies, instruments, etc. The process of obtaining funding is rather lengthy and you will not have enough time to write a full grant proposal and get it funded before graduation. The faculty member has likely already obtained funding for the specific projects that you will be asked to consider.
Joining a research group involves a two-way selection process. Just as you probably interviewed with several research directors, those research directors have probably interviewed several students. As soon as you make your decision, notify your first choice research director that you would like to undertake a specific research problem with him/her. The research director will then decide which of the applicants is the best fit and will notify all applicants of the decision. If you are not selected, repeat the process with another research director.
Enrolling in Independent Study. If your research director has a listing in ACES, s/he will provide you with his/her course and section number and a six-digit permission number. Enroll in ACES using the permission number.
If your research director does not have an ACES listing, your research will need to be sponsored by a member of the chemistry faculty - usually Dr. Roy. To enroll in ACES, you will need to get a course, section number and permission number from Dr. Roy. As your sponsor, Dr. Roy will take care of the necessary paper work involved with registration, monitoring your progress during the semester, and turning in your grade at the end of the semester. Your research director (or designee) will supervise all of your day-to-day research activities. To fulfill the requirement that your sponsor monitor your progress, you will need to send to Dr. Roy a brief progress report every two weeks on dates that he will set. At the end of the semester, your research director will assign and transmit your grade to Dr. Roy, who will then report the grade to the registrar.
Requesting Writing Credit for Independent Study
The procedure for W-credit for Independent Study is as follows. Prior to the end of Drop/Add of your final semester of participation in independent study, you can go to the following URL: http://www.aas.duke.edu/faculty/forms/c2000.html#forms and print a form for requesting W-credit for one Independent Study course. Fill out the form, have your research mentor and DUS sign it, and deliver the completed form to room 011 Allen Building prior to the end of Drop/Add.