Undergraduate Opportunities in Science Archaeology Field School The Archaeology Field School gives Lehigh undergraduates hands-on field experience in original archeological research at a real excavation site. In the process, they learn methods and techniques in the recovery of archaeological information including sampling, survey, controlled surface collection, interpretation of aerial photographs, and excavation. The location varies according to the expertise and site access of the instructor. CESAR: The Center of Emeritus Scientists in Academic Research Lehigh has formed the Center of Emeritus Scientists in Academic Research (CESAR), funded by the Merck Foundation and the Dreyfus Foundation, to foster research interaction between undergraduates and retired industrial chemists and biologists. The center is only the second of its kind in the country. CESAR gives undergraduates the opportunity to work one-on-one with an experienced professional in their field on original research. This interaction brings practical knowledge of industrial standards, practices, and research approaches into the laboratories and lives of Lehigh students. This is on-campus research, with CESAR fellows receiving access to Lehigh laboratory spaces and equipment in order to continue their own research and give undergraduates the benefit of their knowledge and experience, usually working with several students at a time. Research areas are open but, because of the concentration of major pharmaceutical firms in our region, are focused on pharmaceutical chemistry, biochemistry, and polymer chemistry. Up to 32 students may participate yearly. Both academic year and summer opportunities are available. ChemPals: Mentoring in the Sciences ChemPals is an electronic outreach and mentoring program initiated and run by Lehigh students. The program connects girls age 11-15 with science professionals. Capitalizing on the pervasiveness of e-mail communication in school, home and industry, ChemPals seeks to encourage more talented girls to explore opportunities in science. It targets false self-perceptions that these girls may possess by encouraging positive feedback from adult scientists, thereby increasing the likelihood that these girls will choose science majors upon entering college. Matched pairs maintain e-mail contact, periodically engage in video conferencing with program-maintained equipment, regularly discuss science and career-related issues based on modules developed by Lehigh students, and participate in annual reunion science exploration days on Lehigh’s campus. 15-20 Lehigh students annually take part. Hughes Program in Undergraduate Biological Sciences The Howard Hughes Medical Institute has awarded Lehigh University a total of $3.7 million since 1989 for the enhancement of undergraduate education in the biological sciences and for science outreach initiatives to pre-college students. During this time, nearly a thousand Lehigh undergraduates, and several thousands of pre-college students in the region have had valuable research and educational experiences funded by this program. In the new Hughes Bioscience Center, a suite of new labs and modules for upper-level undergraduate courses and research, Lehigh biology lab courses are research-project based, providing students with a first major step into the biology research world of the 21st century. In addition, working closely with faculty mentors, approximately 30 Lehigh juniors and seniors students do Hughes-funded original research in the biological sciences each academic year. LEO: The Lehigh Earth Observatory The Lehigh Earth Observatory (LEO), operated largely by undergraduate students, has a broad charge to monitor and study earth and environmental systems and the ways in which these systems interact with human society. The primary motive is to understand the ways in which ecological, geological, and anthropogenic processes together shape our modern environment. The observatory is dedicated to active observation of natural phenomena, to archiving information about the earth and its environmental systems, to analyzing that information, and to communicating effectively the results of its observations and studies to users whose activities impact the earth. LEO reaches beyond the traditional bounds of science, drawing students from environmental engineering and the broad arena of environmental studies (environmental policy, management, economics, journalism, art, and philosophy) to participate in observatory activities. OSI: Opportunities for Student Innovation Program The OSI program provides experiential learning opportunities for senior students in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Material Science and Engineering to bridge the educational gap between textbooks and industrial approaches to real-world technical problem solving. OSI projects are sponsored by industrial organizations with specific technical problems that may be assisted by OSI student and faculty teams. Technical areas in recent years have included environmental engineering, polymer science and engineering, chemical reactions and kinetics, process modeling and control, separation and purification, thermodynamics, and crystallization and molding. Emphasis is on obtaining a clear definition of objectives and problems, creative innovation of potential solutions, and execution of a rational plan to reach desired objectives. Projects generally involve literature and industrial data analysis, advanced computer simulations and small-scale laboratory experiments. Each year 10 -20 seniors participate. Research Apprenticeship Program Sponsored by a grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, this program in Chemistry introduces first and second year students to the significance of chemical sciences to advances in technology and our living standards, including food, shelter, medicine, and a healthy environment. The learning vehicle is a critical review of popular and scientific literature combined with experimental training integrated into specific research activities, mainly related to interface science and other new areas of natural sciences. Research topics relate to current global issues such as atmospheric environment, compliance with the Clean Air Act, and scientific and engineering tools, including clean fuels, chlorohydrocarbon abatement, NOx abatement, and controlled use of process chemicals in high technology industries. 10-15 students per term.