Honors Organic Chemistry Labratory
From the perspective of an undergraduate student, the term “research” often seems to be used so indiscriminately that simply looking at a lab could be considered “research.” Of course every student has at one point completed a “research essay” and therefore is somewhat familiar with the idea, but the type and rigor of research present at most universities—the University of Cincinnati included—is of a completely different nature: one that I was eager to explore.
So naturally, when I was informed that I had been selected to participate in the Honors Organic Chemistry Laboratory, I was thrilled to explore the world of scientific research, but that excitement was also met with apprehensions. Having not had much prior experience to true research outside of a structured laboratory setting, I was not sure exactly what to expect. As with most students, my greatest fear was that I might not be exactly qualified to do such research (the only letters after my name are “EMT” not “PhD”). But as I have learned through the Honors Program, some of the best experiences start when you take that first step out of your comfort zone. Throughout the semester, my laboratory group was tasked to examine a multi-faceted chemical reaction. As such, each team was able to study a certain aspect of the reaction. Naturally after an entire semester of studying, analyzing, and perfecting one reaction, I learned quite a bit about the organic chemistry involved. In this regard, Honors Organic Chemistry Laboratory certainly helped to solidify my understanding of organic reactions. I now feel comfortable examining chemical spectra, discussing possible mechanisms, and designing experiments. But perhaps more importantly, this experience has taught me how to think. The experiments we did were not planned out in an instructor’s manual and the end results were not necessarily known. Most of the time, our instructors were unsure what to expect—or even how to explain our results. Instead of simply looking into a textbook, we had to gather knowledge and then synthesize that knowledge in ways that could help explain our findings. Even then, there’s always the possibility that our conclusion could be wrong. This thinking process, I have come to find, is what makes scientific research so enjoyable. During the duration of the project, I noticed a recurring phenomenon. This trend really had nothing to do with the chemistry of the experiments, but rather the nature of experimentation. Once I thought I had it all figured out and my plans were formulated, an odd result always managed to surface, forcing me to scrap my plan and approach from a new angle. While at the beginning of the semester I intended to examine one aspect of the reaction, I ended up taking a whole different approach, and never even touched my original ideas. Really what this phenomenon boils down to (pun was intended, I’m sorry) is that plans can be plans, but flexibility must also be present. I will take this lesson with me for the rest of my academic career. While I don’t anticipate doing research for the rest of my life, I look forward to doing more in the near future. That’s something I didn’t plan on when I first entered into the world of undergraduate research. *A huge thank you to Dr. Lieberman and Dr. Pinhas for all the one-on-one guidance, wisdom, and knowledge you shared with us. One day, I'm sure, my patients will thank you too. |
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