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Overview
Chemical Research At Texas (CREATE) is a program whose mission is to provide research experience to community college students. CREATE achieves this by hosting research seminars and organizing STEM-focused summer internships at the University of Texas at Austin with support provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials (CDCM): an NSF MRSEC.
Historically, CREATE's seminar series has featured speakers from UT Austin. CREATE has partnered with the Center for Adapting Flaws into Features (CAFF), and expanded our seminar series to include presentations from researchers working in CAFF. During spring semesters, students are invited to attend research seminars with guest speakers from UT Austin and CAFF. These seminars help introduce topics related to chemistry, chemical engineering, and biochemistry. Their purpose is two-fold: increase curiosity in research and help narrow down topics of interest.
Prior to applying to CREATE’s summer internship program, applicants are encouraged to explore the research group pages of participating research faculty mentors at UT Austin listed below. It is recommended that applicants identify their top three research faculty mentors so we can pair them with a project they are eager to explore. Research from CREATE alumni has ranged from investigating novel materials for batteries and solar energy generation to developing new molecules for improved MRI imaging and medical instruments.
CREATE summer interns will receive both course credit via UT Austin’s Extension Program and financial support via a research stipend.
Summer Research Program
CREATE’s summer research program is 9 weeks during June and July. The program is held at UT Austin’s campus and applicants can expect to work in a research laboratory in either the Department of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, or Molecular Biosciences at UT Austin. Participants are paired with a faculty research mentor and investigate at least one project focused on a current topic in chemical research. To conclude the program and demonstrate their understanding, participants present their contributions and topic during a Poster Session at the end of July. Throughout this program, participants can refine their laboratory techniques, work with UT faculty and student researchers, and earn course credit via UT Extension.
We will continue to monitor UT’s policies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and post any changes to this website and social media. To learn more about this program, including how to apply, please visit our information page.
Summer 2023 Research Mentors
The research group websites of faculty research mentors accepting CREATE interns last summer are listed below. Many of the faculty listed have been mentors for multiple and even consecutive years. Participating faculty will be updated in Spring 2024.
CREATE Leadership Team
Sean Roberts, Ph.D.
UT Austin
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Associate Professor - Department of Chemistry
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Fellow of the William H. Wade Endowed Professorship in Chemistry
Dr. Roberts has served the Department of Chemistry at UT Austin since 2014. He co-developed the Honors Organic Chemistry Course at ACC and is the founder of Chemical Research at Texas, formerly known as Green Energy at Texas.
Shawn Amorde, Ph.D.
Austin Community College
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Professor - Department of Chemistry
Dr. Amorde co-developed the Honors Organic Chemistry course at ACC with Dr. Roberts. It is a research experience module that introduces ACC students to chemical research by allowing them to design, synthesize, and characterize a library of organic dyes and pigments with potential utility for energy applications.
Emily Que, Ph.D.
UT Austin
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Associate Professor - Department of Chemistry
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Joseph J. & Jeanne M. Lagowski Regents Professorship in Inorganic Chemistry
Dr. Que has served the Department of Chemistry at UT Austin since Summer 2014. She has developed a series of Gd-based contrast agents and was awarded the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Young Investigator Award (2010). Her research areas include bioinorganic chemistry and chemical biology.
Samantha Soebbing, Ph.D.
Austin Community College
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Adjunct Associate Professor - Department of Chemistry
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Faculty Mentor - Science, Engineering & Math Area of Study
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Tutor - Highland Campus Learning Lab
Dr. Soebbing has served ACC students since Fall 2016. Previously, she was a faculty member at Nashville State Community College. Her research interests in graduate school and her post-doctoral fellowship were protein design and radiochemistry.
Jacquelyn Stamatedes,
ACC & CREATE Alumni
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Undergraduate Reseacher - Roberts Group UT
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AS in Chemistry (ACC, 2020)
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CREATE participant (2019 & 2020)
Jacquelyn Stamatedes joined the CREATE team in 2022 as Program Administrator. In addition to attending classes at UT Austin to complete a BS in Chemistry, she is an intern at Austin Pharmaceutics.
Alex Dow
ACC & CREATE Alumni
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Supplemental Instruction Leader - ACC RRC
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AS in Chemistry (ACC, 2024)
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CREATE participant (2023)
Alex Dow joined the CREATE team in 2023 as Program Administrator. He currently participates in undergraduate research in the Rose lab at UT Austin. When not in the lab he can often be found helping students with Chemistry at ACC Round Rock Campus.
CREATE Sponsors
CREATE is sponsored by the Center for Dynamics and Control of Materials (CDCM) under NSF Award Number DMR-1720595 and the National Science Foundation (NSF) under grants CMMI-2053567, CHE-1945401, and CHE-2003735.
