Introducing hands on concepts of Mammalian Cell Culture and in vitro drug studies in Undergraduate course shells.
HIRENDRA BANERJEE, Elizabeth City State University
The process of learning is both visual and auditory and in the STEM fields, hands on and practicums enhances student learning, retention and understanding of the complex scientific concepts than just memorizing facts from class room lectures. Thus we plan to implement short hands on research modules in our Cell Biology and Human Physiology courses involving projects teaching students with mammalian cell culture techniques and in vitro drug testing skills. Students will learn to culture mammalian cancer cell lines with culture mediums and maintain the cultures in carbon dioxide incubators at ideal temperature, they will then treat them with novel anti cancer compounds to test the efficacy of these drugs and the IC50 doses(dose at which 50% cells dies).The data obtained will be statistically analyzed and results reviewed to study whether it aligns with the hypothesis and specific aims; students will then present their findings in a small research paper and short seminars in class along with their peers, they will be graded according to a rubric that will be provided to them in the beginning of the research experience process. Thus this process will align with CURE objectives of REU incorporation in undergraduate courses.

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience for Aviation students
Chandra Asthana, Elizabeth City State University
In many situations, big jet airplanes encounter runway excursions upon landing that lead to accidents. These accidents have been fetal at times. This research is aimed at identifying the causes for runway excursions and making a research proposal towards finding a solution. The solution may be in terms of pilot training, refined regulations, establishing need for improved weather monitoring system, improved level of communication between control tower and pilot, development of advanced system for the aircraft etc.

Synthesis and Characterization of Ionic liquid and Ionic Solid Hydrates
Allan Cardenas, SUNY College at Fredonia
CHEM 481 is an advanced synthesis course focuses from synthetic design up to the full characterization of products including optimization. Students enrolled in this class are usually juniors and seniors who already taken organic and analytical laboratory classes. This CURE course will give student to design and perform the synthesis of novel ionic liquid; perform a full spectroscopic analysis of the products; optimize and scale up chemical reactions; provide molecular modifications if needed. This CURE train students to use chemical analysis instruments and introduce them to other capabilities of an instrument which is not usually discussed in regular undergraduate courses.

Big Data Analytics
Matin Pirouz, California State University-Fresno
The Big Data Analytics course prepares the students to practice and understand Big Data concepts, research a topic, and improve their programming skill. It also teaches the methods and algorithms to handle Big Data properly, introduces possible topics they can work on and provides possible data sources. These are achieved using active learning. Students will gain critical thinking skills and will be able to do guided research after the class.

Chemical Analysis of Coffee Beans in Collaboration with a Local Roaster
Susan Oxley, St. Marys University
This CURE will take place in an Analytical Chemistry course. Students in the CURE course will collaborate with a local coffee roaster to develop a research question related to quantifying components of coffee beans. Using standard methods of analysis, students will work in groups to perform the analysis and validate their results. The outcome of the research will be a report to the coffee roaster.

Effects of Antimalarial Drugs (Artemisinin class) on Prostate Cancer Cells.
Dolapo Adedeji, Elizabeth City State University
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in American men and the most non-skin cancer. It is a low-growing tumor occurring in older men and the most common type of non-skin cancer. Students will gain understanding in mammalian cell culturing, cell growth maintenance, cell seeding and be able to determine the concentration at which each drug concentration inhibit cell proliferation.

Diving into Web Design with Undergraduate Research
Malcolm Dcosta, Elizabeth City State University
Students will learn to develop web pages with technologies such as HTML, CSS, Javascript, PHP and mySQL.

Photocatalytic degradation of model compounds
Sarah St. Angelo, Dickinson College
This CURE is intended for a junior/senior level inorganic chemistry laboratory. Students will synthesize various composite nanomaterials than can be tested for photocatalytic activity for the degradation of model compounds (organic dye molecules). The components of the nanocomposites will be varied and the effects on the photocatalysis will be measured. Students will synthesize the nanocomposites and characterize them with several techniques useful to materials chemists, such as SEM, XRD, and AA.

Improving Sex Education in the Local Community
Amy Bell, Phoenix College
Students will research the history of sex education at the local and national level. Students will then select a local group of stakeholders (senior citizens, school age students, teachers, administrators, health providers etc) and design a survey to assess the opinions, content knowledge and perceptions with respect to sexual education.

CURE: Overcoming seed dormancy in Cleome, a potential C4 model plant
Margaret Young, Elizabeth City State University