For many students at Fort Lewis College, undergraduate research is quintessential to their experience.

All departments in the School of Arts and Sciences as well as several in the School of Education and Katz School of Business conduct research, said Undergraduate Research Coordinator Dr. Christine Smith.

“It’s our culture and it’s really neat – because we don’t have graduate students, our undergrads get to work directly with the faculty,” said Dr. Smith.

Most students participate in research-based capstone projects their senior year.

In Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics fields, small classes of 10 or 15 students led by expert faculty develop and implement research projects together.

In the arts and humanities, students often come up with their own investigations and find a mentor to guide them through their journey.

“The students are really set free in terms of how they want to think about what’s important to them and what kinds of projects they want to work on,” said Dr. Smith.

Over in Chemistry Hall, Kenny Drbohlav, a senior chemistry major, researches how to efficiently produce hydrogen for hydrogen fuel cells, a technology explored for the promise of green energy.

Led by Dr. Kenny Miller, a small team synthesizes organic surface ligands aiding catalytic cycles that break down water molecules to produce hydrogen.

Organic surface ligand synthesis

“We work on synthesizing these organic surface ligands to be covalently bound to a nanoparticle that is capable of absorbing a photon of light to promote an electron into what’s called the conduction band,” said Drbohlav.

Once in this high-energy state, the electron can be used to oxidize water and produce hydrogen gas which can then be isolated and stored, Drbohlav said.

As a student researcher, Drbohlav spends most of his time in the lab devising synthesis reactions, running them, and analyzing products through techniques including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance.

 Kenny Drbohlav sets up a synthesis reaction in Chem Hall

Sometimes, the theoretical syntheses don’t translate to the lab and unexpected products are formed, according to Drbohlav.

“With synthetic chemistry, there’s kind of always failure,” said Drbohlav. “You’re figuring out what not to do and then when you do get it to work, it’s a really good feeling.”

Funded by a Department of Energy grant, the team works in conjunction with several universities across the country, said Drbohlav.

Once the desired product is achieved, Drbohlav and his team send it to collaborating universities where further analysis and tests are conducted, he said.

Drbohlav said he would “100%” recommend other students try research.

As a freshman, he was introduced to research through the chemistry department’s First Year Research Experience program and was hooked.

After two semesters researching with Dr. Aimee Morris, he eventually found his way into Dr. Miller’s lab and has been involved ever since.

“I got a lot of lab experience,” said Drbohlav. “With more experience, you get to propose more ideas and that’s part of the fun of it too.”

In Berndt Hall, Janelle Jim, a cellular and molecular biology major, works with Dr. Keisha Carlson in studying the Arabidopsis suecica plant, an organism used in genetics experiments due to its “robust nature,” said the researchers.

Janelle Jim marks PCR tubes

 

“We’re trying to figure out ways of drought responses, what kinds of genes in the plant triggers how it can adapt in being in a drought,” said Jim.

Along with five other research students, Jim uses CRISPR and Cas9 to remove mutant genes from the DNA of the plant. They run wet labs conducting PCR and thermal dipping.

Biology lab bench in Berndt Hall

“If we are successful in knocking these out, we’ll be the first in the world,” said Jim.

She was initially drawn to the project excited to be on the cutting edge of research and gain lab experience, she said. The project has been ongoing and Jim will likely graduate well before it is finished.

“We won’t be done with our research, but it will open doors for future students,” said Jim.

Already, research has given Jim the mental fortitude to bring future goals closer, she said.

Jim is pursuing a minor in forensic biology to complement her research.

“Working in the lab and learning how to do DNA analysis really inspired me to think I’m capable,” said Jim. “I want to help my community back home, especially the reservation with the missing and murdered indigenous people.”

Not only has research bolstered her scientific skills and brought her goals closer, but it has also helped Jim foster relationships, she said.

“There’s really a sense of community,” said Jim. “We all became family. I never walk down the biology department without a hug or communication which is really nice.”

In addition to departmental funding, students can apply through the Undergraduate Research Department’s website to receive compensation for supplies and travel costs to conferences across the nation.

Last term, 142 students participated in this program according to Dr. Smith.

There are two categories of funding students can apply for, said Dr. Smith. “Just in Time Funding” finances students for one semester while “Term to Term Funding” finances two semesters and typically, students conduct summer research as well.

The deadline for “Term to Term Funding” is soon, closing on March 31.

In the past, students have faced challenges finding the right research project or mentor, said Dr. Smith.

Dr. Smith encourages students be persistent and ask around. She commented one student asked 10 faculty members before finding the right mentor to oversee her specific project idea.

“Talk to professors – just go and ask them, but it’s like a treasure hunt,” said Dr. Smith. “Do they do research with students? If they do research with students, do they have room for another student? If that is a dead end, then ask ‘Well, who else could I talk to?’ and then you’ll find something.”

With summer just around the corner, paid summer research opportunities are springing up, especially in STEM disciplines as these projects are government funded by the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation, DOE and Department of Defense. Interested students should reach out to their professors and Dr. Smith at the Undergraduate Research Department.

For more information visit: https://www.instagram.com/flc_undergraduate_research/?hl=en or https://www.fortlewis.edu/academics/undergraduate-research