Dear Roger,
I have regularly supervised MChem final year students in their inorganic chemistry, and in earlier years physics students, two semester , two days, per week protein crystallography projects. A very good and consistent theme involves metal atoms binding to proteins. With quite a few student projects publications result, usually by combining with masters or PhD students results that in turn have built on the undergraduate projects. Increasingly these days, i find, PhD projects are well honed with clear objectives to secure their funding in the first place. Thus flexibility is greatest within undergraduate projects. The role of educator is a delicate balance of combining the challenging research along with the safe territory to definitely secure results; this principle and approach applies to undergraduate, masters and PhD projects, in my view. 
Best wishes,
John


Prof John R Helliwell DSc FInstP CPhys FRSC CChem F Soc Biol.
Chair School of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Athena Swan Team.
http://www.chemistry.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/athena/index.html
 
 

On 14 Jan 2014, at 15:25, Roger Rowlett <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

I am co-organizing (with Kraig Wheeler) a session at the 2014 American Crystallographic Association Meeting in Albuquerque, NM concerned with engaging undergraduate students in protein crystallography. I would like to encourage anyone who has involved undergraduate students in protein crystallography in a research or instructional laboratory setting to submit an abstract. We are probably looking at 30 minute presentations. The session description is at the end of this message.

Our past sessions have been well-populated with folks doing nice protein crystallography work with undergraduates, and we would love to see some new faces again this year. Past talks have described (1) integrating protein crystallography research into the teaching lab, (2) some really innovative and easy-to-adapt instructional laboratories, (3) how to write competitive proposals to acquire instrumentation (ALWAYS popular), (4) how to train and involve undergraduate students efficiently, etc.

If you have successfully involved undergraduate students in protein crystallography, acquired crystallography instrumentation, or have invented a better instructional mousetrap, we want to hear from you! National lab, research institution, undergraduate institution, liberal arts college--whatever. This session is dedicated to showcasing some role models for successful implementation of protein crystallography at the undergraduate level at all types of institutions.

Abstract deadline is January 31. If you have any questions, or are interested/planning on submitting an abstract, please contact me.

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2.2.1 Engaging Undergraduate Students with X-ray Crystallography

The next generation of crystallography users is rapidly expanding from post docs and graduate students to an even younger crowd - undergraduates. Success with capturing this younger demographic is now well recognized in both formal training and research experiences. This session is especially appropriate for faculty wishing to involve undergraduates in protein and/or small molecule crystallography, including new faculty or those considering academic positions at undergraduate institutions. Presentations will address issues of integration of crystallography into the curriculum, engaging undergraduates in crystallography research, and strategies for faculty professional development and instrument acquisition.
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Cheers,

_______________________________________
Roger S. Rowlett
Gordon & Dorothy Kline Professor
Department of Chemistry
Colgate University
13 Oak Drive
Hamilton, NY 13346

tel: (315)-228-7245
ofc: (315)-228-7395
fax: (315)-228-7935
email: [log in to unmask]