The Chemistry Department invites YOU to be a Research
Apprentice in the Spring Semester
Many faculty in the Chemistry Department have continuing research projects in
which we involve students. Conducting research can be the most valuable and
enjoyable part of your chemistry education – you actually do work that no one in
the world has done before! For the eighth year in a row, the Chemistry
Department is extending this offer to our students!
As a research apprentice, you would . . .
 work individually with a chemistry faculty member (and possibly with one of
his or her current research students) on original research!
 learn about advanced lab techniques and equipment used in research projects!
 become eligible to apply for a Chemistry Department Apprentice
Scholarship worth $250 (in addition to any scholarship packages you already
have!) after completing a 24-hour apprenticeship
 In the future, have opportunities to do research for course credit or summer
employment (depending on the project and available funding)!
See a list of available research projects and faculty members
on the next sheet
Contact Dr. Exstrom for more information or if you have questions.
Let him or your instructor know by Friday, December 19 if you are
interested joining the Research Apprentice Program.
Dr. Christopher Exstrom, 405C Bruner Hall, 865-8565, exstromc@unk.edu
Chemistry Research Apprentice Program – Spring 2015
Available Faculty Mentors and Research Projects
Dr. Haishi Cao (411D BHS, caoh1@unk.edu)
 Developing a fluorescent method for detection of H2S
Drs. Scott Darveau (415B BHS, darveausa@unk.edu) & Christopher
Exstrom (405C BHS, exstromc@unk.edu)
 Preparation & study of thin-film and nanocrystalline solar cell materials
 Gold nanoparticle synthesis, structure control, and coating techniques for
biomedical sensor applications
Dr. Amanda Glass (409A BHS, glassam@unk.edu)
 Metal ion transport in biology
 Probing the stability of proteins using circular dichroism spectroscopy
 Building an in-house spectrometer for analyzing environmental samples
Dr. Kristy Kounovsky-Shafer (411E BHS, kounovskykl@unk.edu)
 How can we extract genome size DNA molecules and keep them intact?
Dr. Frank Kovacs (203B BHS, kovacsfa@unk.edu)
 Protein Crystallization 101 – Learning the basics of growing protein crystals
 Riding in the Horseradish Roundup – Purification of horseradish peroxidase
from horseradish roots
Chemistry Research Apprentice Program – Spring 2015
Available Faculty Mentors and Research Projects
Dr. Annette Moser (201A BHS, moserac@unk.edu)
 Exploring the protein binding interactions of common herbicide metabolites
using high performance affinity chromatography (HPAC). During this project,
the association constants and binding locations of these metabolites will be
determined using both frontal analysis chromatography and zonal elution
chromatography
 Developing a multiple methods to test for Ca2+ and Mg2+ for use in the
undergraduate analytical chemistry laboratory. This project will initially
develop and test a method for simultaneous detection using UV-vis
absorption. Additional methods of analysis to be explored include the use of
ion selective electrodes and the inductively coupled plasma (ICP).
Dr. Hector Palencia (409B BHS, palenciah2@unk.edu)
 Functionalized Nanoparticles with NHC as reusable catalysts for biodiesel
synthesis
Dr. Mahesh Pattabiraman (413B BHS, pattabiramm2@unk.edu)
 Host-guest chemistry in aqueous media: Guiding molecular behavior through
hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions
 Exploring potential of macrocyclic cavitands in drug delivery applications
Dr. Allen Thomas (413A BHS, thomasaa@unk.edu)
 Amino Acid Mimetics as Drug Delivery Agents to treat Alzheimer’s Disease