Senior Year Experience (SYE)

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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 Diane Chase;
    • 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.