Undertaking Chemical Research at a Community College

The merits of involving undergraduates in research activities have been publicized in numerous reports and have been promoted through various programs. Moreover, the value of offering research experiences specifically to first and second year students has been lauded. Undergraduate research is generally accepted to be a vehicle through which essential skills such as critical thinking can be sharpened, while it also serves to enhance recruitment and retention strategies for students in the sciences. Traditionally, community colleges have provided quality instruction in the chemical sciences, but research experiences for community college students have been relatively rare. As community colleges serve a large proportion of the nation's first and second year students in the chemical sciences, providing research experiences to community college students, whenever feasible, could have a major impact on the landscape of chemical education. This article addresses issues faced by community college educators who choose to participate in research activities and offers specific information about research projects undertaken at Southwestern College.