1. CHEM 398: Professional Practices and Perspectives
F 3-4:15 PM
Dr. S. Ruder sruder@vcu.edu
Assignments: submit electronically on blackboard, include name.
Due dates will be posted on Blackboard and are not necessarily in the order written below.
1. Write a cover letter and resume based on your career interests. 20 points (Jan 31)
2. Write a personal statement and revise it. 20 points. (Feb 7)
3. Write ten questions for the visitor from the Career Center. 5 points.
4. Attend poster session, and complete a summary sheet for three posters. 15 points.
5. Write ten questions for the career panelists invited to class. The panelists may come from medical
school, pharmacy school, local industry, and/or VCU. All have backgrounds in chemistry. 5 points.
6. Read an assigned scientific article, and answer posted questions (in class). 10 points.
7. Complete an interview with the career center. 20 points.
8. Complete a literature search on the assigned research topic. Use at least three searching tools
(including at least two on-line searching tools) to complete a literature search on your approved topic.
Locate at least 10 appropriate references including at least three different types of sources (journal,
book, thesis, etc.). The references or sources must be listed using American Chemical Society
guidelines. A one-two sentence summary of the reference and its relation to the topic of the search is
included. Estimate the importance of the reference to their research topic (3 = very important to 1=
slightly important). 20 points.
9. Give a presentation on your assigned research topic. Limit your talk to FIVE (5) minutes and no more
than 6 slides. 20 points.
10. Attend and participate in class. You will not get participation credit if you are texting, listening to
music, playing games, looking at facebook, studying for another class or otherwise doing work not
related to this class. 60 points (5 points per class; 1 drop).

2. Speakers will include:
career center
graduate admissions
library specialist
career panel
Introductions:
Form groups of 3-4, preferably with people you do
not know.
Introduce yourselves:
1. name
2. career interest
3. fun fact

3. Discover Chemistry
Research at VCU

4. Drug Delivery
Environmental Monitoring
Wastewater Treatment
Educate
Drug Testing
Disaster Analysis
Forensic Analysis
Patent Law
Medical Doctors
Homeland Security
Quality Control
Material Fabrication
Energy Resources
Drug Design
Scientific Writing

5. FBI
Drug Companies
Crime Labs
Biotechnology Labs
Government Labs
Environmental Labs
Universities
Patent Law Offices
Private Companies
Hospitals

6. Laboratory Techniques
Creativity
Problem Solving Skills
Scientific Writing
Critical Thinking
Team work

7. CHEMISTRY AT VCU
Opportunities for Undergraduate
Research
Travel to Regional & National
Meetings
Student Affiliate of the American
Chemical Society Activities
(President: Kyle Pfieffer)
-meet the professors, Jan 31, 3-5,
Temple 3309
Blackboard Chemistry Majors

8. Instrumentation for Research & for
Undergraduate Laboratories
Nationally & Internationally Known
Faculty
Professor John Fenn,
2003 Nobel Laureate
CHEMISTRY AT VCU

9. CHEMISTRY IS INTERDISCIPLINARY
Chemical Biology :
Materials &
Nanoscience
Nanotechnology:
Medicinal Chemistry,
Pharmacology,
Proteomics, Structural
Biology
New Materials,
Nanomedicine,
Computational & Molecular
Modeling
Chemistry
Chemical
Education :
Undergraduate Research,
Student Engagement,
Curriculum Development,
Learner-Center Teaching
I nteractions : H&S,
Center for Teaching
Excellence, College of
Engineering, Honors
College, Biochemistry,
Cancer Center, MCV

10. Chemistry Research for
Undergraduates
Who:
•All chemistry majors - any concentration and
career interest.
When:
•Any time during college career, depending on area
and advisor.
•The earlier the better, but better late than never.
Where:
•Chemistry or a related field (biochemistry,
medicinal chemistry, chemical engineering....)
•Industry (Honeywell, Ethyl, BI....)

11. Chemistry Research for
Undergraduates
Research as part of the chemistry curriculum:
•Directed study, CHEM 392
•Independent study, CHEM492
•Internship, CHEM493
•CHEM498 Honors Thesis
•Professional Chemist with Honors Concentration
•Lab courses: CHEZ304L, 409L, 406L

12. Finding a Research Advisor
•Review the Department of Chemistry web page,
http://www.has.vcu.edu/che/research/faculty.html
•Request a meeting with a faculty member (phone,
email, visit office)
•Talk to your chemistry instructor and teaching
assistants
•Talk to other chemistry majors or to Student Affiliate
members
•Research can also be done in affiliated departments

13. Summer Research for Undergraduates
Research Experience for Undergraduates
(applications due ~Feb/March)
• At VCU :
http://www.has.vcu.edu/che/research/nsf.html
•Nationally:
http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/list_result.cfm?unitid=5048

14. VCU Programs
•Honors Program SURP
http://www.honors.vcu.edu/research/ugradpro
gram/index.html
•VCU UROP
http://www.research.vcu.edu/vpr/ugresources/
forstudents.htm
Poster session April 24