The American Chemical Society has an educational program, Project SEED, whose purpose is to encourage economically disadvantaged high school students to pursue career opportunities in the chemistry-related sciences.
The program consists of an 8-week science project, during the summer, in research laboratories at a university. The program gives the students the opportunity to experience scientific research firsthand, where enthusiastic scientists individually mentor the students.
In 2011, the Project SEED was implemented in Puerto Rico at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). Since then Dr. Ingrid Montes has been the program coordinator. This program has been very successful, winning the ChemLuminary Award in 2016.
Annually, around one hundred applications are received from students interested in participating in the program, but unfortunately, the number of students that can participate is limited due to budget constraints. However, the number of participants has been increasing from four in 2011, 2012, and 2014, to eight in 2015, fourteen in 2016, and twelve during the last two years. Researchers from the UPR-RP Departments of Chemistry and Biology and from the UPR Medical Sciences Campus have participated as mentors for the program. In addition to their research responsibilities, these students are exposed to different workshops and trainings. They must also have to complete four modules of the CITI Program (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) in order to be allowed to work in the new UPR Molecular Sciences Research Center.
(787) 764-0000 Ext. 88502
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus
College of Natural Sciences
Department of Chemistry
17 University Ave STE 1701
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00925-2537
ingrid.montes2@upr.edu
University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus
College of Natural Sciences
Department of Chemistry
Building Phase I
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