/undergrad-research/ en /undergrad-research/blog/2024/01/learning-ropes-write-my-first-research-proposal Everyone starts somewhere. Before I applied to the Hamel Center’s Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program (REAP), I contemplated whether I was qualified. Mon, 22 Jan 2024 12:00:00 +0000 /undergrad-research/209 /undergrad-research/blog/2022/08/one-piece-puzzle Sometimes you may wonder, why am I studying a topic in the first place? What is its piece in the larger puzzle of solving a specific problem? Certain topics seem so abstract and far-removed from everyday life that it’s very difficult to easily identify their greater purpose. Fortunately, the opening few sentences of many scientific articles or book chapters outline why the research described is important, but they do not always easily demonstrate when or how the reported findings will be implemented for real-world applications. In time, maybe they will or maybe they won’t, it is hard to say. So, why conduct research? Thu, 25 Aug 2022 12:00:00 +0000 Samuel Mercer /undergrad-research/171 /undergrad-research/blog/2021/08/searching-holy-grail-catalysis Methane conversion, the process of converting methane to desirable products such as methanol or syngas, has garnered the title as the holy grail of catalysis. As the primary component of natural gas, the complex chemistry of methane has limited its potential for sustainable utilization, perplexing researchers for over a century with countless methods and experimental approaches attempted to develop an economically viable process for chemical production. Mon, 30 Aug 2021 12:00:00 +0000 /undergrad-research/169