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Research helps 'teach' chemistry, professor says

Things have come full circle with regard to Dr. Mike Carney's involvement in faculty-student collaborative research.

Carney, an assistant professor of chemistry at UW-Eau Claire, relayed that message to the UW System Board of Regents education committee meeting Thursday afternoon, hoping for continued support by the board.

Once a student in this form of research, Carney is now on the faculty side heading up a collaborative project with a group of students he labels as "very bright and motivated."  Danah Holman, Nick Robertson and Sara Hayward are the three students involved in the research with Carney.

The project is being funded by a $32,000 Research Corporation grant. Funds for equipment and student salaries are coming from the UW-Eau Claire Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. 

"All three are new to the research process," Carney said referring to his student colleagues, "and each is using this experience to enhance their chemical education and to help them decide whether research will become a significant part of their future careers."

Carney came to Eau Claire as a student in 1979, majoring in business.  But his plans changed after taking a few chemistry classes.

"I thoroughly enjoyed the classes," he said, "and decided to integrate my chemistry and business interests into a unique degree at UW Eau Claire called chemistry with a business emphasis." 

Dr. Jack Pladziewicz, the chair of the chemistry department at Eau Claire, offered Carney the chance to participate in some collaborative research shortly after his interest in chemistry became so visible.

"This project allowed me to learn the scientific method directly from an enthusiastic faculty member who used research to teach chemistry," Carney said.  "The sense of excitement at applying chemistry to unsolved problems was incredible."

Carney said that after that project, he realized he wanted to pursue a scientific career, and more importantly, he wanted to conduct his own research.

The latter desire would require graduate school training, according to Carney.

"I am convinced that my undergraduate research experience was the key element in my academic background that convinced schools like Stanford (Calif.), Caltech (Calif.), MIT (Mass.), UW-Madison and Harvard (Mass.) that I could succeed in their graduate programs," Carney said.  "I am also convinced that this experience helped lay a solid scientific foundation that enabled me to successfully obtain a Ph.D. from Harvard, to secure a post-doctoral position at (the University of California ) Berkeley and to advance my industrial career at Chevron Chemical and later, W. R. Grace."

Robertson may be heading down a similar path.

A second-year biochemistry/molecular biology at Eau Claire, Robertson asked one of his general chemistry professors last fall about opportunities for summer research.  She gave him the names of numerous professors with research projects.  Ironically, Robertson chose Carney.

"Dr. Carney was just setting up his lab," Robertson said, "and I thought it would be a great opportunity to work on a new project."

Robertson said that he made a wise choice when he chose Carney.

"He worked closely with us," Robertson said, "teaching us not only the procedures and chemistry behind our work, but more importantly, he showed us what actual research involves."

"(Carney) included us in everything," Robertson added, "and was interested in our questions and opinions."

Robertson said that while he was participating in the research, he started to seriously consider attending graduate school.

"Being involved in real and current research opened my eyes to this exciting and dynamic area," he said.

Regent JoAnne Brandes, a UW-Eau Claire graduate and member of the board's education committee, said that she was very impressed with the presentation.

"I like to hear from the students," Brandes said.  "Students are so honest when talking about their experiences."

Robertson said that he hopes the board continues to support the collaborative research program at Eau Claire, as well as programs like it around the state.

"The knowledge I gained from this experience is not something that can be obtained in a formal classroom setting," he said.  "Student-faculty research really does enhance an already outstanding curriculum."