Summer Research Academy in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry

The Summer Research Academy in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (SRATCC) has been conducted in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas Tech University (TTU) during five consecutive summer terms: 2008-2012. SRATCC has been designed and directed by Associate Professor Jorge A. Morales and included the mentoring collaboration of Chemistry Professors: David Birney, Greg Gellene, Bill Hase, Bill Poirier and Edward Quitevis. SRATCC encourages broadening participation in theoretical and computational chemistry research of local high school students and teachers. While open to all participants, SRATCC emphasizes the participation of high school students and teachers from our local Hispanic community. Each summer term, four to five students and one teacher were chosen from a local high school (Estacado and Lubbock High Schools) to work alongside the collaborating professors and their research group members on research projects supported by their grants from the National Science Foundation, the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, and The Welch Foundation. At the end of each program, the high school participants presented the results of their research in a public session in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, followed by a closing dinner. SRATCC 2008-2012 has been financially supported by the TTU Office of Institutional Diversity, the TTU College of Arts and Sciences, the TTU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, and the grants of the collaborating faculty members. In total, SRATCC 2008-2012 has trained 20 high school students, 2 TTU undergraduate students and 4 high school teachers. For more details, please, read Program Description.

The SRATCC program will resume its activities for the summer terms of 2014-2016 under the same organizational format and involving the same type and number of high school participants.

SRATCC 2012 (June 11 to July 6, 2012)

SRATCC 2012 Participants: First Row from Left to Right: Mr. Matthew Gardner (High School Student), Mr. Daniel Guajardo (High School Student), Ms. Kevin Cassity (High School Student) and Ms. Caitlin Puga (High School Student). Second Row from Left to Right: Ms. Stephanie Foster (High School Teacher), Dr. Jorge A. Morales (SRATCC Director) and Mr. Austin Privett (SRATCC Graduate Student Assistant).