Chemistry Student Opportunities

Research and Lab Work

Undergraduate research is a key component in the chemistry program at SFU. We encourage you to partner with faculty on research projects as early as your freshman year. You may also have an opportunity to gain additional experience as a teaching or a stockroom assistant.  Our chemistry majors and their faculty have presented at industry symposia, worked on grant projects exceeding $1.3 million in external funding, and have taken part in service projects that have changed lives.  

R.O.C.K. (Rural Outreach Chemistry for Kids)

In the R.O.C.K. program you can work with local K-12 students to show that science (especially chemistry) is important in everyone's life and can be exciting. R.O.C.K. volunteers perform hands-on chemistry experiments and activities using mainly household products.  We focus on classroom visits (not stage presentations) in the 5 county area around SFU (Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Clearfield, and Somerset). R.O.C.K. also looks at the role that chemistry will have in the future as well as how it will benefit our society. Our chemistry students participate in a minimun of 6 R.O.C.K. events each academic year.

Chemistry Department Fellowship Award

This competitive four-year fellowship of $2,000 per year is awarded up to ten incoming freshmen or transfer students majoring in Chemistry. In order to apply for this scholarship, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.5, a SAT (critical reading and math) of at least 1100, or ACT of at least 24, and a letter of recommendation from their high school chemistry teacher. Scholarship recipients must remain as a Chemistry major in good academic standing (3.0 QPA). Scholarship recipients are required to participate either as an active member in  the Chemistry Club, or be involved with the R.O.C. K. program during their freshman year.  The scholarship recipients are encouraged to participate in our undergraduate research program during their sophomore/junior year.

Chemistry Department Awards for Students

Chemistry Undergraduate Summer Research Award

Our summer research award provides students with a cash stipend and a housing allowance. The students then work for approximately six to eight weeks under the supervision of a faculty mentor on a project that will advance the state-of-the-art in their field of chemistry. Recent research topics have centered on acid mine drainage, molecular modeling, peptide & protein chemistry, and green chemistry concepts. Our campus is also a great place to be in the summertime, and students participating in summer research develop a bond of friendship that lasts beyond their time at Saint Francis University.

Dr. M. Jayne Kimlin Award in Physical Sciences

The M. Jayne Kimlin award is awarded to a female Chemistry student to perform summer research in part with the Chemistry department's Summer Research program. This award was established in 1999 in compliance with the wishes of Dr. M. Jayne Kimlin, an alumnus and long-time professor at Saint Francis University.

Chemistry Department Senior Award

This award, given during the School of Sciences Award Ceremony, is presented to the highest achieving senior student in the department based upon academic excellence.

Chemistry Department Service Award

This award, given during the School of Sciences Award Ceremony, is presented to the senior student who has demonstrated exemplary service and leadership.

Father Albert Driesch/Avian Technologies Award for Excellence in Organic Chemistry

This scholarship award, funded by Saint Francis University alumnus, Arthur Springsteen, is presented to a chemistry major that has completed Organic Chemistry I and II, and is based on overall class performance.

Kaylee Harford Undergraduate Research Award

The Kaylee Harford Undergraduate Research Award was established by Dr. Rose Clark and Dr. Edward Zovinka with the support of the Harford family and the campus community to honor Kaylee's memory. Kaylee had a love for chemistry and for experimentation that will continue through other students to conduct research during the summer months.