Senior Year Experience (SYE)

SYE in Chemistry

  Following are some guidelines and recommendations for students about to embark on their Senior Year Experience.  The SYE can be considered in three major phases: project selection (junior year), time devoted to working on the SYE, and completion of the project. 

Project selection

In the spring of your junior year,

  • Make an appointment with faculty about possible project/thesis ideas;
  • Look at abstracts and descriptions of past Honors Theses done in our department;
  • Do some preliminary investigations of areas of interest;
  • Pick a Project/Thesis Advisor (one of the department faculty) and topic; and
  • Register for a half unit of SYE in the Fall and another half unit in the Spring.
    • When registering for courses, register for CHEM 489.  Note: You will need to ask your project/thesis advisor to add your name to his/her "permissions" list in the APR system.

During the fall semester of SYE

  • September
    • Submit abstract and digital photo to Ellen Galo;
    • Meet regularly with your project/thesis advisor;
    • Work on project weekly;
    • Attend SYE introduction and Safety training; and
    • Attend Notebook Expo I.
  • October
    • Attend Notebook Expo I;
    • Meet regularly with your project/thesis advisor; and
    • Work on project weekly.
  • November
    • Meet regularly with your project/thesis advisor;
    • Work on project weekly;
    • Submit draft of written project summary; and
    • Prepare oral presentation.
  • December
    • Formal Presentations;
    • Meet regularly with your project/thesis advisor;
    • Work on project weekly;
    • Submit final version of written project summary. 

During the spring semester of SYE

  • January
    • Enjoy your break.
  • February
    • Resume work on project; and
    • Attend Notebook Expo III.
  • March
    • Continue working on project;
    • Meet with advisor often;
    • Attend Notebook Expo IV;
    • Assemble thesis committee (honors only);
    • Submit draft of written project summary; and
    • Prepare oral presentation.
  • April
    • Formal Presentations;
    • Meet regularly with your project/thesis advisor; and
    • Festival of Science Presentation.
  • May
    • Submit final version of written project summary;
    • Turn in notebook & compiled electronic files.  Clean up your workspaces. Return Key(s) and check out form to Dr. French.