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George Shields
George Shields

Hamilton College Professor and Chair of Chemistry George C. Shields received a grant from the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation to build a national model to increase the number of chemistry majors.  "The program centers around an intensive summer research program, that aims to create an environment that retains chemistry, biochemistry, and chemical physics majors and increases the number of Hamilton College chemistry graduates who go on to graduate programs," says Shields.

"At a time of falling enrollments in the physical sciences nationwide, coupled with an increased need for a technically trained workforce, it is imperative that we train more American students to take part in research that will solve problems in our world.  Chemists have a unique role to play in ongoing efforts to improve national security, to develop alternative energy sources, and to improve health care," he says.  

The initiative is a program that enables students to receive additional preparation and motivation for the study of chemistry and provide undergraduates with incentives to enter into the study of science and technology.  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. 

The chemistry summer research program is an intensive five-week program, which provides these students with interdisciplinary, hands-on, research projects.  With the Dreyfus Foundation funding, the program will allow 8-12 incoming students per year the chance to attend Hamilton College and spend multiple summers working on research projects in biochemistry, chemistry, or chemical physics.  In addition these students will have extensive interactions with the chemistry faculty, through small classes, frequent advising and social activities.  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.  Interested high school students should check the chemistry Web site for further details (http://www.chem.hamilton.edu).

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 with undergraduate co-authors.

The Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation was established in 1946 by chemist, inventor and businessman Camille Dreyfus as a memorial to his brother Henry, also a chemist and his partner in developing the first commercially successful system of cellulose acetate fiber production.  In creating the Foundation, Camille Dreyfus directed that its purpose be "to advance the science of chemistry, chemical engineering and related sciences as a means of improving human relations and circumstances around the world."  Since its first years of activity, the Foundation has sought to take the lead in identifying and addressing needs and opportunities in the chemical sciences.

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