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International Research Experience for Undergraduates
Development and Applications of Microfluidic Devices
 Program Description
The United States needs to educate a globally-engaged science and engineering workforce capable of performing in an international research environment in order to remain at the forefront of world science and technology. To support this aim, the Developing Global Scientists and Engineers program (funded by the National Science Foundation) provides highest quality international research experiences for U.S. students. The International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) supports groups of U.S. undergraduate or graduate students conducting research abroad in collaboration with foreign investigators.
This program will focus on developing highly trained undergraduate for careers in modern analytical chemistry (microfluidics, chemical analysis, and materials science) via a comprehensive program that includes research, seminars, and workshops. The focus on microfluidics and chemical analysis will enable students to acquire unique scientific skills along with an exceptional cultural experience. All the projects have been selected to permit tangible accomplishments (potentially including refereed publication and presentation at an appropriate scientific meeting), yet to be sufficiently open-ended that students could potentially continue working at their home institutions. All the projects available to students have been developed primarily from ongoing, externally funded research programs.
The key elements are:
 Project directed by Dr. Garcia (UTSA), Dr. Gomez (CSULA), and Dr. Carrilho (USP)
4 students (2 from UTSA and 2 from CSULA) Students from the surrounding areas will be also considered.
8 potential projects
Students will spend 8 weeks at the Institute of Chemistry of Sao Carlos
Pre-IRES training workshops, ethics components, safety trainings, and
career development activities |
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Women, minorities, persons with disabilities (more information), and students with extraordinary financial needs (more information) are specially encouraged to apply
Support offered
Pending final approval from NSF, the IRES grant will provide travel expenses (flight to Sao Paulo and ground transpoortation to Sao Carlos), housing, meals, and a modest scollarship. The IRES grant will not pay for any other expense outside the scope of the sponsored activity. Students wishing to perform tourism (after the IRES visit) should make the proper arrangements in advance.
Requirements
Interested students should provide the following items:
Completed application form (including demographic survey)
Minimum GPA of 3.0 (official transcrip to be provided by selected applicants)
Background in Analytical Chemistry (B or better in undergraduate course or equivalent training obtained through research experience)
Two letters of reference (sent to carlos.garcia@utsa.edu)
Statement of research interests and career goals (< 500 words)
Registration in Facebook (to allow tracking progress after the program) |
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Program Activities
Prior to departure, selected students will be required to:
Obtain a valid passport by May 1, 2010
Obtain the corresponding visa by June 1, 2010. Please go to the State Department’s Office of American Citizens Services for more information
Remain in academic good standing and within their overall majors
Assit to a half-day orientation at local institution (personal interview, program
details, flight arrangements, and instructions to apply for the corresponding visa)
Acquire minimum communication skills in Portuguese and learn basic cultural codes of Brazil
Complete a laboratory training at home institution (including Research Orientation, microfabrication, capillary electrophoresis, electrochemistry)
Pass the laboratory safety training
Pass the laboratory waste disposal training
Pass the "ethics in science" course
Perform a 10-min oral defense of the project at their home institutions
Once in Brazil, students will be required to form teams with existing students enabling a closer interaction between peers, as well as training experience to the junior mentor. Selected students are expected to work the number of hours which the appointment covers (normally 40 hours per week). Students are not expected to handle any administrative duties. Available projects include (but are not limited to):
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Fabrication of Microchips
using direct-printing |
Integrated microreactors
for enzymatic reactions
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Integrated genetic
analyzer |
Electrochemical detection
of contaminants
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Development of polymeric nanocomposites |
By the end of the visit, students should have a personal responsibility for anticipating, analyzing, and solving problems related to the assigned project. They will be expected to organize their efforts during the following semesters to persevere in the pursuit of the objectives of their projects, present their results at scientific meetings, and earn co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications. In conjunction with a scientific meeting (where students are expected to present), an IRES meeting will be held at the end of every summer to review the program’s recent research and educational activities and highlights.
About the location (Sao Carlos, SP, Brazil)
São Carlos is located in the geographic center of the state of São Paulo, approximately 231 km (143 miles) from the City of São Paulo. Its altitude is over 856 m, offering a mild altitude climate. Most of the year the city is windy, sunny and with mild temperatures at night. For this reason the city is nicknamed "Cidade do Clima" (Weather City) and celebrates once a year an event called "Festa do Clima". Nowadays most of the region's agricultural production has shifted from coffee to sugar cane and dairy products, but the mainstay of the city's economy is industrialized and technological products. Read more.
The University of Sao Paulo (USP) is the largest higher education and research institution in Brazil. It has outstanding projection around the world, especially in Latin America, and develops great part of Brazilian master's and doctor's degrees that work in higher education and research institutes. It is a public and free university, composed of seven campuses, 40 learning and research units,
five hospitals, five museums, and five specialized institutes. It also includes multiple experimental laboratories and centers of scientific and cultural diffusion including a radio, a TV, a news agency, two local magazines, a newspaper, and an internet portal. It comprises all areas of the human activity and offers approximately 700 regular courses and graduates an average of 5,500 students per year.
The Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos (IQSC) is divided into two Departments:
the Department of Chemistry and Molecular Physics (DQFM) and
the Department of Physical Chemistry (DFQ).
Both Departments are engaged on extensive basic and applied research programs in chemistry, involving a wide range of scientific interactions with national and international institutions.
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