UR Chemistry Professor Jonathan Dattelbaum Awarded NSF Funding to Support Biochemistry Research for Undergraduates

UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND — The National Science Foundation has awarded University of Richmond chemistry professor Jonathan Dattelbaum and colleagues nearly $2 million in support of advancing biochemistry research experiences for students.

Dattelbaum is the co-principal investigator for this five-year project that involves a collaboration among faculty at nine schools. The portion of the funding awarded to the University of Richmond includes the creation of content and workshops for mentoring faculty to adopt a biochemistry Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) at their institutions. CUREs are classroom-based courses that offer students hands-on experience doing original research while also offering faculty the opportunity to generate new information within their discipline.

"A commitment to students persisting in STEM disciplines is a major goal of this project,” said Dattelbaum. “CUREs provide an opportunity for faculty and students to support each other and have been identified as one mechanism for increasing participation and inclusion in STEM, particularly among students from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.” 

This project will specifically promote the adoption of a biochemistry CURE called BASIL — Biochemistry Authentic Scientific Inquiry Lab. The BASIL lab modules include both computational and bench biochemistry research techniques. The research also seeks to identify barriers to implementation and ways to promote sustainability of CUREs.

Dattelbaum has taught at the University of Richmond since 2004.  

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