Undergraduate Research Conference

The Southern California Undergraduate Research Conference in Chemistry and Biochemistry is an annual event, held in the spring, to afford undergraduates in chemistry the opportunity to present their research results. The presentations can be either oral or a poster presentation. The host institution has the option of holding a competitive or a non competitive event. Past hosts have included USC, UCR, CSU Fullerton, Westmont College, CSU Dominguez Hills, Loyola Marymount, California Lutheran University, CSUN, Occidental College, Keck Science Center at the Claremont Colleges, Concordia University, and most recently, UC San Diego. This event is a major and costly operation (about $1,800 with $600 provided by the Southern California ACS Section). It is tradition that no fee will be charged for participation, and that the host institution provides hospitality in the form of meals and coffee at the beginning of the meeting. Hosts have financed the conference by soliciting donations from sources on and off campus. Undergraduates studying at California institutions from as far North as San Luis Obispo and as far South as San Diego are invited to participate by solicitation through their faculty mentors.

The 2020 Undergraduate Research Conference in Chemistry and Biochemistry was supposed to be held at the Occidental College on Saturday, April 4, 2020. However, due to the Corona Virus, the event has been CANCELLED.

Occidental College is excited to host this year’s ACS Southern California Undergraduate Research Conference. Dr. Jean-Pierre Fleurial from the Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL), will be giving a seminar on thermoelectric materials.

Contact Barbara Belmont if you are interested in hosting a future undergraduate research conference.