Advancing Professional Development Strategies for Undergraduates in Chemistry and Biochemistry

Abstract

In the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of South Carolina (the Chemistry Department), most curriculum‐driven professional development for undergraduates is reserved for third‐ and fourth‐year students. Academic instruction occurs at all levels, but the context comes late. Early exposure to career options and hands‐on training is imperative for undergraduates to obtain maximum experiential education. The purpose of this project is to advance the current professional development strategies of the Chemistry Department, specifically targeting second‐ and third‐year students. The study will survey students' current involvement in professional development activities as well as how the Chemistry Department is facilitating undergraduate involvement in professional development. We will use the data on extracurricular experience and post‐graduation interest to design a workshop series to reach students with practical tools for success, such as networking skills and synthesizing intra‐ and extracurricular experiences. The impact of each workshop will be assessed with post‐session surveys asking participants about the value and applicability of the information shared. The most beneficial topics will be incorporated into curriculum development of the Chemistry Department's one‐credit hour undergraduate seminar course. By integrating more advanced professional development into the curriculum, chemistry and biochemistry undergraduates will be encouraged to pursue experiential education in their second and third years.Support or Funding InformationThis work was supported in part by the South Carolina Honors College Senior Thesis/Project Grant (CAB) and a grant from the University of South Carolina Magellan Scholar Program.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.