Dr. Mahamud Subir
<b>Department: </b>Chemistry<br><b>Research Area: </b>Environmental Physical Chemistry and Surface Science<br>
Department: Chemistry
Research Focus: Environmental Physical Chemistry and Surface Science
Potential Student Project(s):
- Elucidating particle size effect on the binding strength and chemical properties of emerging contaminants – This project will help students to understand the importance of surface chemistry and colloidal size (nm to um) on the transport and fate of aquatic
- Natural organic matter (NOM) surface mediated photodegradation of organic dyes – photochemistry is an important process by which molecules break Students will gain insights into the kinetics and mechanisms of photolytic steps of organic contaminants. They will study and compare bulk vs. surface (relevant to NOMs) photokinetic rates.
[The aforementioned projects will allow students to use and learn various spectroscopic and material characterization tools, including but not limited to, UV-Vis, fluorescence, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and second harmonic generation (an advanced laser-based technique) spectroscopy.]
- Another project students will have the opportunity to participate in is geared toward scientific communication and community We started a pilot program (ENACT - https://sites.bsu.edu/enact/), where students share their scientific ideas in a creative manner in the form of short videos and scientific blogs. Students interested in teaching or science education major will certainly find this project useful and interesting.
Attributes/skills/background sought in undergraduate: Any background/skill but highly motivated and curious to learn!
Mentoring Plan: Initially, the student will learn basic chemistry in sample preparation and measurements using conventional tools such as UV-Vis, fluorescence and DLS. The hands-on training will be provided by the faculty mentor and graduate students in the group. During this training phase, students will also receive relevant scientific literature to review. They will also search articles and other resources that can facilitate advancing their project. After the training phase, the student will receive weekly independent tasks (i.e., experimental measurements) that they will complete with minimal supervision. They will report their findings and challenges during our biweekly group meetings. The faculty mentor will help them analyze the data using advanced data analysis software. Provided the student is dedicated and accomplish their objectives, they will have the opportunity to present their work at local, regional, and national conferences.
Contact: 765-285-8306, CP 204F