By David Wren

Conferences are many things to many people. They can be both exciting and stressful, a lot of work and a lot of fun. Conferences can be expensive, when registration, travel, food and lodging are all factored in. So how do you maximize your conference experience? We (Younger Chemistry Education Scholars) asked 22 experienced conference-goers for their tips on how to get the most out of a conference. We are excited to share with you the results of this informal survey and hope you find their sage advice beneficial! So, before heading to your first or next conference, here are some pro-tips on getting the most out of your time at a conference.

General Trends
As the name suggests, conferences involve a lot of talking. Talking involves at least two people. There are three types of people at conferences: Those who you already know, those who you would like to meet, and those who you didn’t know but now are glad you do. Chances are, you will not know many people at your first conference, and not have a huge list of people you would like to meet, especially if you are newer to the field of study. This will likely mean you will spend more time focused on going to talks aligned with your research interests, and try to find friendly faces at social events. In these interactions with people, some of the expert conference-goers felt a larger level of stress while others tended to enjoy the many interactions. Respondents generally changed their priorities after attending multiple conferences by attending less research talks and pursuing more networking and collaborative opportunities. But before we get too far into the responses, let’s meet the respondents.

Figure 1: Academic Standing

The 22 respondents spanned all stages of a professional career, both in and outside academia. Non-academic positions included being a consultant and being a graduate student (not listed as option in survey.


The majority of the respondents have attended conferences for over 5 years, with 19% attending for conferences for more than 15 years. No significant differences were seen in free responses between the respondents with 10+ and 15+ years and those who selected 1-5 and 6-10 years.
The most common conferences attended by respondents were ACS national meetings and the BCCE (Biennial Conference on Chemical Education). A sizable number (18%) also attended Gordon Conferences, while 10% attended local and regional ACS meetings. Other conferences attended but not listed included: NARST (National Association for Research in Science Teaching), TRUSE (Transforming Research in Undergraduate STEM Education), RUME (Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education), ChemEd, Online Learning Consortium International Society for Technology in Education, International Society for Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, ASMB (American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology), and HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Institute) conferences.

Figure 2: Conferences most likely to attend in a 2 year period


Of the 22 respondents, all attended conferences to present their research and all but 1 also attended to see others research presented. About half attend committee meetings or go for other professional obligations. The main “other” reason provided by respondents to attend a conference is to network, in order to get new business, find new collaborators, and engage in meaningful discussions. 

Figure 3. The primary reasons for attending a conference

What advice would you give to undergraduate and graduate students who are attending their FIRST conference?
If your first conference is a large national meeting, there is a three prong full-proof plan based on survey responses. The first is to plan ahead. Things like research symposia, social and networking events, committee meetings, meeting up with friends, and tourism quickly fill up your schedule and to see it all, you’ll need to plan out your events in advance. Though each person may have a different priority for these obligations, all involve careful planning, as to avoid double-booking or missing out on an important networking opportunity. Using the conference scheduler on the plane and emailing potential “meal meet-ups” are two popular suggestions. The second prong is to put yourself in positions that will allow you to build your professional network, even if this might put you outside your comfort zone. One respondent said, “Talk to people. To me much of the point of going to a specific symposium is to find others that are there and have discussions. Don't be afraid to skip other talks if you get the chance to go for lunch with people you met.” Finding an experienced conference goer to help you meet new people, or join a fellow newbie and pair up. Older graduate students, post-docs or your research advisor are all great people to hang around for potential introductions. The third prong is to give yourself mental breaks by having some down time. One respondent summarized this three-prong approach best: “It is overwhelming and simultaneously awe-inspiring to make the time and have the courage to approach peers and faculty alike. The key is to let it sink in and enjoy the experience; if presenting a poster, have stimulating discussions with those who are interested; if presenting or attending talks, ask questions and interact with others during symposium breaks. It is a great chance to know who's who.  Gather all swag possible from the expo just like a first timer. This might not be that enjoyable during subsequent conferences.  Mostly, keep time for yourself.  You might not get to speak to everyone you wanted to or not answered questions the way you wanted to, but always have some lone time, recharge and have a fun experience.”

What is a best way for an undergraduate or graduate student to introduce themselves to their favorite CER "rock star" (influential, well-known researcher) who they might see at a symposium or social event?
Some definite Dos and Don’ts were provided. First the Don’ts. Don’t interrupt a conversation already in progress. Don’t make it awkward. Do be yourself. Do prepare ahead of time by reading papers, going to their talk, and having simple well thought-out questions in mind. Do find a mediator to introduce you, such as your advisor, fellow researcher, or new friend. One person said, “Ask their major professor/advisor or another professor that they know to introduce them. Also, one of the "rock star's" students/postdocs could make the introduction as well. I think that helps 1) make it less awkward than approaching at random and provides a conversation starter and 2) helps create a memory link for the "rock star" because they will meet and talk to a lot of people.” Another way to help create dialogue is to “ask the "rock-star" if there is a "must see" event/talk at the conference.  That's a good way to talk to them without having to talk about yourself, necessarily, nor feel the need "talk up" the rock-star.”

Has the way you approached attending a conference changed over time? If so, in what way?
Generally, it’s pretty natural to change your perspectives as you go to more conferences over time. As a graduate student, your priority is your research, so attending as many talks related to your research was the focus. Meeting people and networking was secondary to attending talks. Almost all respondents mentioned that they go to less talks now. Some because they are more selective with how they spend their time and focus more on networking and having discussions. Others are more obligated with committee meetings and events, and only go to talks when there are openings in their schedule. One respondent put it this way: “The longer I do this, the more I realize the importance of networking.  To get involved in the community you need the appropriate contacts.  I used to go to conferences to present my research and socialize.  Now I go to conferences to find my next collaborator and advance my own work.  Don't get me wrong, I socialize too, but it is not my primary focus.” Another simply said, “I spend more time in discussions with others and less time at actual talks.” Or “I used to just try to get as much information as possible. To attend the most number of talks and sessions. I recognize now that conferences are really about relationships with colleagues.”

What strategies do you use to maximize your time at a National ACS meeting?
By far the biggest overarching theme was proper planning. Scheduling “meal meetings” or “meal meet ups” in advance of the conference was a popular suggestion, because as one person put it, “Everyone has to eat after all!”. If you are not meeting someone at a meal or making new friends, one suggestion was to keep meals short: “Food takes time. Yes, you're in a big city with absolutely great food and heck, you may even have your meals paid for! But for breakfast and lunch, try to grab something quick and save dinner for sit down restaurants with colleagues. Bringing granola bars or snacks is a great way to save taxpayer dollars and be able to fit in some food in the 45-60 minutes you get for lunch between symposia.” Social events can be a very efficient way to meet many people in a short period of time and set up meet ups later in the conference. There is a balance between over scheduling and under scheduling. You want to have flexibility to keep a conversation going, but you don’t want to eat alone or miss the chance to catch up with old acquaintances.

Other advice
Finally, we asked if there was any parting advice that our experts had. Some of the noteworthy quotes included:
“Wipe yourself out and don't worry about staying out late and getting up early - there will be time to rest when you get back. To take the most advantage of the conference, you'll need to say yes to everything you can and just do it. If you're sitting in your hotel room waiting for your talk/poster, you're (or someone is) paying top dollar for professional development that you're not getting!”
“Don't be afraid to ask to join a group for lunch at the end of a morning symposium - but don't be offended if the response is negative. This is something I still do. Sometimes people have a meeting to do work on a project or to catch up with friends and don't want extra company - but often people are just grabbing a bite between sessions and are happy to include others.”
“Sometimes paying a little out of pocket yourself to attend that amazing conference in Europe or to attend a national meeting that your advisor says the grant cannot swing your registration is worth doing. Think about how this conference will impact your future research and what your motivations are for wanting to attend. If they are about the research and not about the location, run it by your advisor and let them know you are willing to pay for some or all yourself. There are always ways to do a conference on the cheap!”

It was my third time attending a Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, and this one was held was at my alma mater, so I had some idea of what to expect. It was, however, my first time attending a conference with a 5-week old infant in tow, so I was very nervous about how that might impact my experience at the conference. Would Matt nap while I attended talks, or would he fuss and cry? Would I be able to find places to feed and change him with the frequency that a newborn requires? What would my colleagues think? Since becoming a parent seven years ago, I have been trying to navigate questions like this. I don’t have all the answers, but my experiences have taught me four lessons that I would like to share with you.

At the opening keynote, Matt slept through the first half hour. When he woke and started to fuss, Debbie Herrington, who was sitting next to me, offered to walk him around outside the auditorium. This evoked memories of my first BCCE, when I was an undergrad and Debbie was my mentor. She had brought her infant daughter to the conference. Although I didn’t realize it at the time, that was when I received my first lesson in being a parent in academia.

Lesson #1: Be willing to do double duty. One of the great things about working in academia is the flexibility that the job offers. Even as a graduate student, my schedule was relatively stable and flexible. If there was a special school event or a snow day, I was able to be with my kids, even if that sometimes meant they joined me at work. The other side to this is that you may need to bring work home with you. Once the kids are in bed, you will probably need to engage in another round of grading papers, writing grant proposals, or answering emails.

Debbie’s demonstration of how to carry out parental duties while on the clock as a professional paved the way for me to do the same. In fact, much of what I have learned has been from mentors along the way. These women were open about discussing the joys and challenges of having a family in academia. I can remember talking with my Ph.D. advisor about the decision to have another child: “It’s never gets any easier,” she said. “You need to do what’s right for your family.”

Lesson #2: Learn from others. I have yet to meet anyone who claims they have figured out the perfect balance between parenthood and your career. However, most people are willing to share whatever advice they’ve learned along the way. Of course, everybody’s situation is unique, so take several people’s advice under consideration before you decide what is right for you. One source of stories and advice that I appreciated was the book Mom the Chemistry Professor1. There is also a symposium with the same name that is planned for the 25th BCCE.

As I walked around the 23th BCCE wearing Matt in a wrap on my chest, I had many women stop and share their stories of parenting young children as they began their academic careers. It was gratifying to hear not only their advice, but that they had survived it! It took me by surprise, however, to have men initiate conversations about the baby. Several took time to tell me how glad they were that I came to the conference. One even awkwardly tried to tell me he was glad that I felt comfortable nursing in public. (Here’s a bonus tip: no matter how comfortable a woman seems nursing her baby, it’s probably best not to make cow puns to her about it.)

Lesson #3: Don’t be embarrassed about or shy away from your identity as a parent. This is a hard one. I have often felt uncomfortable about allowing my kids to dictate something in my professional life, such as asking not to teach the 3:00-5:50 pm lab sections because daycare closed at 6:00 pm. But every time I do, I have found that people are happy to compromise and help make accommodations.

The reactions I got while at the BCCE were so overwhelmingly positive, they erased any self-consciousness I had about toting my baby around with me—not that I had him with me the whole time. My husband came to the conference with our oldest son and took Matt between feedings so that I could have a few longer, uninterrupted stretches.

Lesson #4: Engage in a support system. My support system has consisted of my spouse, my friends, family, neighbors, mentors, colleagues—even strangers! Nobody can navigate the challenge of being a working parent alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and to accept help when it is offered. But it shouldn’t be a one-way street. As your resources expand, be a support for others. My experiences as a parent while I was a student have sensitized me to the needs of my student-parents. For example, I make sure to tell them that I prefer them to be in class with their kid rather than missing class if they don’t have childcare.

After the keynote, Debbie returned with Matt. I walked around, reuniting with friends and colleagues. I stopped to greet a former mentor whom I had not seen for several years who was there with her husband. As we began catching up on each other’s recent events, Matt squished up his face and filled his diaper. I noticed my hand got a lot warmer—too warm. And the outside of his onesie started to feel slimy. My face grew hot and I hoped that they hadn’t noticed. I began to plan how I might exit the conversation and avoid a handshake, since my soiled right hand was now attempting to hide a blossoming yellow stain. Mercifully, another person came up and I managed to duck away to the nearest bathroom. No changing tables available, so I knelt on the floor while I stripped away my baby’s ruined clothes. My thoughts were pessimistic: “This was a mistake. How am I going to endure several more days of this?” And then I heard from behind me: “Awww! How old? Good for you for bringing your baby! It’s so tough! Can I give you a hand?”

Being a parent while beginning your career in academia is not easy. But by embracing your role as a parent and professional, being flexible and making compromises, and allowing yourself to accept the wisdom and support of the people around you, it can be done.

1Cole, R., Marzabadi, C., Webster, G., & Woznack, K., Eds. Mom the Chemistry Professor: Personal Accounts and Advice from Chemistry Professors who are Mothers. Springer International Publishing: Cham, Switzerland, 2014.

Brittland DeKorver
Assistant Professor
Grand Valley State University

by Jessica VandenPlas, PhD, Grand Valley State University

When I accepted my first tenure track job teaching at a Primarily Undergraduate Institution (PUI), I assumed it would be a temporary stop—a stepping stone to the coveted R1 position for which I had been groomed in graduate school.  This was a path I had seen many of my well-respected senior colleagues in the field of chemistry education research (CER) take, and I assumed my path would be no different.  I graduated at a time when there were still very few post docs in CER, and even fewer R1 institutions willing to hire a newly minted grad student without a proven track record, such as myself.  Most of the chemistry education researchers I saw being successful at R1s at the time had started out at PUIs themselves, building up that track record, before moving into these elusive R1 positions.  My plan was to use my time at a PUI to build a similar track record, and then move on to the position I thought (at the time) I truly wanted.  However, as is the case with many temporary stops, this one has become my home. Some 10 years later, although freshly-graduated-Jessie would have rolled her eyes at this, it is a position I have grown to love, and honestly cannot see myself leaving.

From Surviving to Thriving

So, what changed?  My perspective, mostly!  Like many graduate students, I had a hard time visualizing what a position at an institution without a graduate program would even look like.  I knew what the program I was in looked like, and I knew what the programs of my fellow CER grad students looked like (mostly!), but I had never attended a PUI, and certainly didn’t know any faculty teaching at that type of institution.  Because of this blind-spot, taking that first PUI job was a little bit of a leap of faith—I didn’t totally know what I was getting into, but I assumed I could survive it a few years until I could move into a position in more familiar territory.  Once I had the job, though, I realized it had all of the pieces of academia that I loved, without many of what I perceived to be the drawbacks of positions at PhD-granting institutions.  My focus became less about surviving this scary place, and more about thriving in it.  For those of you who might have the same blind-spot that I did, here is what I have learned (and learned to love!) about doing CER work at a PUI: the good, the bad, and the somewhat terrifying!

Rough Start

My first tenure-track job was teaching at a small University in the Northern part of Arizona (wink wink!).  I was excited to accept this offer—the chemistry department already had a faculty member doing CER work, the department chair was incredibly supportive of CER as a sub-discipline, and the teaching load seemed reasonable.  Because this was actually a Masters-granting institution, it came with what seemed like an absurdly generous start-up offer, and the possibility that I may someday get to work with a graduate student or two.  However, one drawback to being at a smaller university is that the department you are in will also likely be small—and this means that even one person who doesn’t respect CER, or thinks you are “wasting” a position that could have gone to a “real chemist” (actual quotes!) can make for a very inhospitable environment.  My undergraduate research assistants were regularly approached about leaving my group to do “real chemistry” research, and I struggled to get a research program off the ground. It was an incredibly isolating experience and taught me the importance of environment—whether you are at an R1 or a PUI or anything in between, the fit of the department can make all the difference in the world. 

Another concern I had not anticipated when I accepted this position was the type of research the department expected from me.  My application materials and interview responses were very clear about the focus of my research—studying how students learn.  However, as a small department, many people were unclear on what, exactly, constituted chemistry education research, and many unfortunately assumed they were hiring someone who would do a large amount of curriculum development and course coordination to benefit the department.  While I know many talented folks who do just this, I am not one of them, and this mismatch in expectations also contributed to some of the difficulties I faced in my time in Arizona.  I learned from this that I needed to ask more questions of a new department, and to ensure we were both envisioning my role in the same way.

When a position opened up at Grand Valley State University, an institution I knew to be very supportive of chemical education researchers, and home to many people I greatly admired, I knew I had to apply.  Although I had only been in Arizona three years at the time, I doubted my ability to get tenure in a department that would never be impressed with my work, regardless of how many grants or publications or awards I accrued.  Interviewing at GVSU was therefore a disorienting experience!  There were already 5 CER faculty in the department when I interviewed, and they had nothing but good things to say about the support they received from the department, and the mutual respect they had for their colleagues.  And talking to the other chemists in the department, I was pleasantly surprised by how much they already knew about CER, and the quality of questions they asked about both teaching and research.  When I was lucky enough to be offered the position, I took it without hesitation.  Having now been at GVSU for seven years, I feel I can offer some perspective on what this particular PUI has been like for me.

Teaching: More Classes, Less Students

One large difference between being at a PUI and being at a larger institution is the type of teaching the faculty are expected to do—both in terms of teaching load, and the types of courses one may be asked to teach.  My teaching load is much higher than that of the R1 colleagues I talk to, and regularly includes 2-3 lecture courses per semester, as well as a small number of labs.  With no graduate students, all teaching (and grading!) is done by faculty members, meaning my teaching load extends beyond the classroom quite a bit.  I choose to embrace this higher teaching load—for one, I came to CER as a discipline because I enjoy teaching, and helping students achieve their goals!  The research part of my brain also appreciates the almost too-good-to-be true set-up of having paired lecture sections completely under my control, that allow me to try out the occasional teaching intervention for data collection. 

Another difference in teaching at a PUI is course size.  I have never in my career had to teach a 300+ student lecture, which I know is a de rigueur experience at larger institutions.  While I still occasionally teach a large course (the largest courses in our chemistry department span about 130 students), I also frequently teach courses in the 20-80 student range.  I enjoy the experience of actually getting to know my students, rather than looking out at what I assume is an absolutely terrifying mass of unknown faces in a huge lecture hall! I am able to identify students who are struggling and reach out to help them get through the course, or to identify students that are excelling, and help them find experiences to complement their skills.  While I have no doubt this is possible at a larger institution, I feel more connected to a greater number of students in my little corner of the world, and am grateful for this opportunity to watch them grow through their time here. 

Scholarship: Embracing the Journey

For someone who comes to CER not just because they love teaching, but also because they love research, one of the main challenges of being at a PUI is, of course, the lack of graduate students.  While there are certainly advantages to not having a cadre of grad students to manage (no dissertations to read or defenses to nervously sit through!), working with undergraduate research assistants brings its own challenges.  The first is that these students do not have a background in chemistry education research, and I am not allowed to send them off to take a few years of graduate courses to get them up to speed.  Instead, they require more training than grad students, and there are some aspects of the research that the majority of them will not be able to do, like higher order statistical analyses.  At the same time, my undergraduate researchers have proven far more capable than I initially would have given them credit for.  While they may not have a background in qualitative or quantitative methods, they very quickly pick up skills like interviewing, conducting eye-tracking studies, or building studies in complicated programs like ePrime.  While this requires more of my time up front than graduate students might, all of my research students have risen to the occasion, and all have taken extreme pride and ownership of their projects.

The larger problem of working with undergraduate students only is a matter of timescale.  Where graduate students can dedicate their entire waking life (and much of their non-waking life as well!) to their research, undergraduate students are carrying full course loads, many are working full time, and almost all are busy applying to various graduate programs, professional schools, and actual real-life jobs.  On average, they may have 5-10 hours per week to dedicate to research.  This, coupled with the already slow nature of CER work, means that studies that I could conceivably complete in a semester at an R1 with a dedicated grad student or two may take me years to complete at a PUI.  This can be frustrating, particularly when the research is exciting and I would like to get it out before better staffed (and better funded!) labs beat me to the punch, so it has required a slight adjustment of my expectations.  Research at a PUI is very much summarized by the thought “it’s not the destination that matters, it is the journey that counts!”  Getting publications or grants is considered a bonus in my department—we celebrate each and every publication or grant that our colleagues get, but what we truly value is giving our undergraduates this invaluable research experience.   I am not constantly under pressure to bring in a particular dollar amount pre-tenure, or to reach a certain publication record in order to keep my job.  Instead, I am encouraged to take as many undergraduate researchers as I feel I can thoughtfully mentor, and to give them an authentic research experience where they are doing more than washing dishes.  Taking them to professional meetings to give a poster presentation is seen as being at least as prestigious as giving a talk myself, and in many cases, is even more respected.  Getting a publication is certainly commended, but publishing with a student co-author is one of the most valued activities I can engage in.

While I am sometimes disappointed when I look at my research productivity compared to that of my CER colleagues who have gone a different route, I never feel under pressure to spend my time writing grants or pursuing projects that aren’t interesting to me but may be more “fundable” than what I want to do.  I can still go into my research space and get my hands dirty, and I have the time and space to do that.  Most often, I find this time and space during the summer months.  Because of the higher teaching load at a PUI, it is difficult to maintain research momentum during the academic year, and research often gets pushed to the side until summer.  However, because of this, the department comes alive in the summer, and there are undergraduate research students everywhere, creating an amazing and inspiring sense of community.

Because pursuing funding is considered a really nice bonus thing to do rather than a baseline expectation, my department and my university both have pots of internal money I can go after if I need to get a new project off the ground, so I never stress about making sure my students are supported or that I have the funds to keep the lights on in the lab.  This does mean that funding can be tight, and that I am not always able to wrangle a summer salary for myself, but the support for my students (not just salary, but supplies and travel as well) more than makes up for this to me.  And if all of this means that I will not be a superstar publishing a dozen papers a year, I have made peace with that, because I am in a place that values the work that I do, exactly as I choose to do it.

Home is Where Your CER Is

While being at a PUI is not where I saw my career headed, it is where I see my career continuing for a very long time.  While no job is stress-free, the stresses at a PUI are different from the stresses at a larger institution in a way that really matches my priorities.  If a heavy teaching load and sometimes brutally slow research agenda would make you cranky, it is possible that you would be miserable at a PUI.  However, if you truly love teaching, love working one-on-one with undergraduate students, and are ok viewing research more as a teaching tool than a life goal, a PUI might be for you, too.

Jessica VandenPlas, PhD
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Grand Valley State University

by William Marmor, Rochester Institute of Technology

An Unexpected Beginning
So many people wonder how the influential and prestigious men and women of the world end up where they are today. Who would not want to be successful and admired for years of hard work finally paying off. For some it happens, accepting a Nobel Prize in front of your family, friends and that one high school teacher who never believed in you. As you reach out and grasp that medal a grin comes across your face as cameras flash and an applause erupts! Then, the sound and lights instantly disappear as the medal shoots out of your hand. Your grin slips away and your eyes open wide, as only the sound of the shower head fills your ears. Groggy and tired you bend down and grab the bar of soap, once a gold medal, off the shower floor. Brought back to reality, you can’t help but enjoy the day dreams of an early morning shower. Time to get ready for work.

I have often pondered what prevents people from becoming successful. What I have come to accept is that there is an important distinction between those who find success in their lives and those who do not, the fearless drive to ask a question that could end in rejection. My question as a college sophomore at the Rochester Institute of Technology was, “Dr. Goudreau, do you have room on your research team?” That very familiar Nobel Prize winning grin appeared as she responded “Yes, would you like to join?”

Seeing the Chemistry in Chemistry Education Research
The next semester I was in the lab working three hours a week under the guidance of an upperclassmen, adding one credit to my 16 credit load. While under his wing and with the help of Dr. Goudreau I began to develop a better understanding of our project and its future progress. Our objective was to rework and enhance the typical organic chemistry lab experience. So, how does one do that? First, we needed to design experiments that could be executed in a typical undergraduate chemistry lab and improve on those that are already in practice to better fit our new model. Then we needed to implement these modules into a legitimate setting and collect data using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) as a tool to compare the old method to our new one. Was this a dream come true? An opportunity for me to question current methods and spend time thinking constructively about how to better chemistry labs, really at my fingertips? It couldn’t get better than this! But with every high hope of success comes with it that nagging fear: potential failure. It set in within the first month in my lab, my lack of confidence and fear of unexpected experimental results. My foot tapping on the ground as I waited for my eluent front to rise to the top of my TLC plate, hoping that I would see what should have been my final product. Nope, not there again.

Noticing my look of dissatisfaction, the upperclassman helping me knew what I needed to hear. He told me that this was a good thing, and that now I need to ask some important questions, experiment and have fun. Now this worked for almost everything except my fear of the NMR.

Don’t Break the NMR
Never had I dealt with a tool of similar value and I had convinced myself that I would somehow break it. Only when my instructor provide me the opportunity to work on this project during the summer and my upperclassman guide left for a master program did I shed that fear. I now had to do this all by myself, nobody was there to hold my hand. I would sit in that NMR room, flinching at every unfamiliar noise thinking, “It’s broken. It must be broken. I have never heard that noise before. I’m going to owe this school half a million dollars.” Yet with practice and time that icy fear soon melted away and I was running an NMR at full speed and without any doubt or fear of debt. I wish I could tell myself that there was no need for that anxiety but I’m sure in some ways it helped me.

Catching the Research Bug
The next ten weeks of my summer term went splendidly. I ran experiments and with the lessons I learned from the previous semester I was able to excavate important clues to help make the experiments I was running better than they had ever been. With the help of others I condensed the collected RTOP data into easily understood graphs and was ready to present my findings at the RIT symposium and the American Chemical Society conference in Boston. Currently, I am traveling to institutions in my region to collect RTOP data to further substantiate our findings.

Advice To Any Undergraduate Interested in Conducting Research in Chemical Education
First and foremost, if you have an opportunity for research in chemical education take it! The wonderful thing about this type of research is that there is variability in the environment you may work. I was not always conducting experiments in a lab and had opportunities for immersing myself in a classroom setting. One week I was conducting the bromination of an alkene and the next I was analyzing the efficiency of an experiment in teaching undergraduates basic chemical principles. As someone who would one day love to teach, this was a great opportunity for me to externally observe the current educational model.

Further, research for an undergraduate is by no means overwhelming and can be handled by any individual who is willing to put in the work. I highly recommend that any undergraduate students interested in research talk to their professors. Showing interest and getting involved is always impressive and the more you do of this the higher likelihood you will have of obtaining a position in research. You will never know what opportunities are out there if you never ask. Trust me you will want to know.

Don’t be afraid! I can say from experience that fear will only hold you back. Of course it is easy to say this now having some experience and having conquered my fear of the NMR. If I could tell myself one thing in my first semester of research it would be to not be so worried about everything and to relax and have fun. Research truly is an enjoyable experience and should be treated as such.

Finally, be confident and know your stuff. You will be surprised the impact that confidence can have on your performance and way others treat you. One of the best ways to generate confidence is to have a solid grasp of what you are talking about. This ability will come in handy in both the quality of your presentation of research and the impression you make on other people. Another way to create confidence is to research something you love. The joy the topic inspires will certainly be apparent to yourself and those around you.

I have not yet won the Nobel Prize, but what I have gained from undergraduate research has been invaluable. Don’t let an opportunity slip through your fingers and take your first step toward success.

William Marmor is an undergraduate student at the Rochester Institute of Technology, College of Health Sciences and Technology. William is expected to recieive his Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Sciences with a Minor in Psychology in May 2017.