From Iona College…

Iona College has been awarded a $157,705, three-year grant from the National Science Foundation’s Chemistry Division for undergraduate chemistry/biochemistry students to undertake a research project.

Under the direction of Dr. Sunghee Lee, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Iona College, the students will participate in a research project entitled , “Role of Surfactant in Monolayer-Directed Crystallization at the Liquid-Liquid Microdroplet Interface.” Dr. Lee said the “primary thrust of the work is to gain an understanding of how soft, self-assembled chemical structures exert their influence on the formation of crystals.” She added: “This field has important implications in some major industrial fields such as pharmaceutical synthesis, materials for electronics, and biomineralization.”

Dr. Lee noted that the award will allow about 10 undergraduates majoring in either chemistry or biochemistry the opportunity to work on a major project and use state-of-the-art equipment that they otherwise may not have had a chance to do.  The grant includes $9,000 for new equipment.

Founded in 1940 by the Congregation of Edmund Rice Christian Brothers, Iona College is a private, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of American Catholic higher education.  Iona, currently listed in the US News and World Report’s annual “America’s Best Colleges 2008” and The Princeton Review’s Best Northeastern Colleges 2008 edition, offers undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science, and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and master of business administration degrees and numerous post-graduate certificate programs.