For 10 weeks over the summer, Connery Bunn contributed to ongoing research in polymer chemistry while expanding his own capability in polymer science. As a third-year polymer and color chemistry student, the early experience in the lab was invaluable to his growth and blooming career.

He was employed in Associate Professor Januka Budhathoki-Uprety’s lab as a part of this summer’s Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). The program allows undergraduates in the Department of Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science (TECS) to test the waters of research under the guidance of professors and graduate students. 

“REU appealed to me in the sense that I could really perform what I was learning in the classroom,” Bunn says. “Sometimes, lecture topics can be a little intangible, and I really wanted to solidify what I was learning. REU has been great for that.”

Learn more about his everyday research, the program’s professional development workshops and how his advisor benefits from having an undergraduate student in her research laboratory. 

Working in the lab

Budhathoki-Uprety started her work at the Wilson College in 2019, returning to the university where she earned her Ph.D. in chemistry. As an associate professor, she teaches classes in polymer chemistry and conducts research in polymer chemistry and nanotechnology. 

Over the summer, Budhathoki-Uprety and her graduate students guide REU participants through their first experiences in research.

“[Connery’s project] directly involves synthesizing and characterizing polymers through state-of-the-art techniques to understand how changing the chemical structures of polymers would change their properties,” Budhathoki-Uprety says.

Bunn’s work in Budhathoki-Uprety’s lab, Polymer Chemistry and Nanosensor Development, contributes to the understanding of making polymers for their applications in the real world. He worked on a project about synthesis of polymer precursors to optimize the effectiveness of carbon fiber, an exceptionally strong, lightweight material used in aerospace, automotive, sports equipment and textiles. 

Bunn worked with a Ph.D. student on a day-to-day basis to learn the basics of experimentation, setting-up polymer synthesis reactions, operating delicate instruments, as well as collecting and analyzing data. 

“That has been a lot of fun, working with the characterization equipment to see the product we’ve been working on and if it’s what we’re going for, or not,” Bunn says.

More than academic

Budhathoki-Uprety says there is a unique learning opportunity when students are given the chance to conduct their own experiments and interact directly with their chosen interest. 

“We get the opportunity to teach them hands-on skills in the research lab that we are not able to do in the classroom. Practical knowledge adds more to their overall learning experience,” Budhathoki-Uprety says. “Many of those nitty-gritty details are very important to either the success or failure of an experiment.”

Budhathoki-Uprety says the student’s experience in research lab and teamwork provide a jumping off point for their future internship and job opportunities, giving students a taste of what their future work could entail.

“If they want to explore internships in upcoming semesters and years, this REU experience also helps them prepare towards that. They would have seen how they would function in a team environment in the lab and how they would collaborate with other researchers,” Budhathoki-Uprety says.

“Practical knowledge adds more to their overall learning experience.” – Associate Professor Januka Budhathoki-Uprety

In addition to their weekly hours, REU students are encouraged to attend professional development sessions, where they learn about technical skills, like conducting literature reviews and poster making, and industry skills such as interviewing, resume building and utilizing social media professionally. They even span the more conceptual issues that come with research, such as internal bias, ethical standards and responsible AI use.

“[The workshops] help the student prepare for continuing research, teaching them how to get more involved in research and do impactful work, present their research and develop scientific communication skills, which is very, very important,” Budhathoki-Uprety says. 

Bunn, who has a concentration in medical sciences, was drawn to the REU program in large part because of the workshops, which are unique compared to entry-level industry jobs. In TECS REU, he gets support both as an employee and as a student.

“I could go work as a lab tech at some company around here, but I’d be completely missing out on the workshops,” Bunn says. “I have been specifically very interested in the career-oriented sessions because there’s a lot of really good information that I usually wouldn’t have access to until I enter the field.”

A benefit to all

Student workers grow and learn during their time in their labs, but their leaders also gain extra help to advance their research agendas. When it comes to precise data and computation, there is always a need for fresh minds and ready hands. 

“While they learn how to run the reactions, how to set up experiments, collect and analyze data, we definitely get extra hands,” Budhathoki-Uprety says. “When they learn this process, they also bring a unique energy to the lab.”

Through his time in REU, Bunn spends extensive time with graduate students and gets the opportunity to connect with people in his field in ways that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible. 

“I don’t know what I want to do after undergrad yet, but REU sets up a lot of opportunities and keeps a lot of doors open,” Bunn says. “It’s been really good to build relationships beyond the classroom.”