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George Shields
George Shields

Hamilton College Professor and Chair of Chemistry George C. Shields received a grant from the National Science Foundation to build a program that will increase the number of students participating in the sciences who are normally underrepresented in these fields. "The program centers around an intensive summer research program that aims to create an environment that retains women and minority science majors and increases the number of Hamilton College science graduates who go on to graduate programs," Shields said.  "At the same time we will develop a peer support network for female and minority students in the science division and foster close and interactive relationships between these science majors and the science faculty members," he says. 

The initiative is a bridge program for entering first-year students that enables students to conduct hands-on scientific research before they begin their Hamilton education and provides incentives to enter into the study of science and technology. Selected students receive a stipend of $350 per week and subsidized on-campus housing.  The Hamilton College Program will group together incoming first-year students who will actively participate in scientific research. Students will be introduced to the institution through Hamilton's summer research program.  With the National Science Foundation funding, the program will enroll 14 incoming students per year, who will have the chance to attend Hamilton College and spend multiple summers working on research projects in one of the following scientific disciplines: biochemistry, chemistry, chemical physics, computer science, neuroscience, or physics.  About 80 students work on research projects at Hamilton in the summer, and all Hamilton science majors complete senior thesis research projects prior to graduation.  Women and minority high school students should check the Hamilton College Web site for details.  (Summer Research)

Shields' teaching and research focus is computational physical chemistry and structural biochemistry. He also examines solvation effects to determine better methods for the incorporation of solvation into computational chemistry. His research efforts have led to numerous publications, including six in 2001.  Five of those publications are with undergraduate co-authors, reflecting Shields' special interests in mentoring young scientists.  He has worked with nine entering freshman on summer research projects, which served as the pilot program for the program funded by the National Science Foundation. 

The National Science Foundation funds research and education in science and engineering through grants, contacts and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities and other research and/or educational institutions within the United States.

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