Narratives of Undergraduate Research, Mentorship, and Teaching at UCLA

Abstract

This work describes select narratives pertaining to undergraduate teaching and mentorship at UCLA Chemistry and Biochemistry by Alex Spokoyny and his junior colleagues. Specifically, we discuss how individual undergraduate researchers contributed and jump-started multiple research themes since the conception of our research laboratory. This work also describes several recent innovations in the inorganic and general chemistry courses taught by Spokoyny at UCLA with a focus of nurturing appreciation for research and creative process in sciences including the use of social media platforms.

Keywords: boron clusters; chemistry Twitter; chemistry appreciation; inorganic chemistry; mentorship; science communication; science literacy; undergraduate research.

Fig. 1:

A cohort of undergraduate researchers in the Spokoyny laboratory who worked in the group circa 2014–2016. Top: Simone Stevens (left), Alice Phung (center), Alejandra (Ali) Gonzalez. Bottom: Yanwu Shao (left), Elamar Moully (center), Vinh Nguyen (right).

Fig. 2:

New carborane chemistry developed with a contribution of UCLA undergraduates. (a) Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling chemistry and (b) radical-based approach towards carborane functionalization at boron vertices. Steps i-iii represent oxidative addition, transmetallation and reductive elimination, respectively.

Fig. 3:

Development of photophysically innocent carborane-based scaffolds for metal-based phosphorescent materials. Fig. 3a was partially reproduced from materials in [3] with the permission from the Royal Society of Chemistry. Fig. 3b was adapted with permission from [9] Copyright (2016) American Chemical Society.

Fig. 4:

Recent developments in the area of polyhedral boron clusters in the Spokoyny group with contributions from the undergraduate researchers. (a) Discovery of perfunctionalized B₁₂(OR)₁₂ cluster photooxidant and weakly-coordinating proanions for polymerization. (b) Development of cluster-based platform for multivalent protein binders. (c) Umpolung approach towards nucleophilic borylation chemistry using B₆H₆ ²⁻ cluster. Fig. 4a was adapted with permission from [6] Copyright (2016) American Chemical Society.

Fig. 5:

A cohort of undergraduate researchers in the Spokoyny laboratory who worked in the group circa 2016–2018. Top: Joshua Martin (left), Chantel Mao (center), Azin Saebi (right). Bottom: Daniel Mossalaei (left), Monica Kirollos (center), Paul Chong (right).

Fig. 6:

A cohort of undergraduate researchers in the Spokoyny laboratory who worked in the group circa 2017–2020. Top: Alex Umanzor (left), Kevin Qian (center), Gustavo Marin (right). Bottom: Omar Ebrahim (left), Ramya Pathuri (center), Morgan Hopp (right).

Fig. 7:

Recent utilization of boron-rich clusters as building blocks for polymer materials developed by UCLA undergraduates. (a) Perfunctionalized boron clusters can be applied as cross-linkers for hybrid polymers. (b) Carboranes can be employed as unique NMR and Raman spectroscopic handles for controlled polymerization.

Fig. 8:

Key contributors to the development of Chemistry 3 course at UCLA: (left) Mary Waddington (teaching assistant), (center) Roshini Ramachandran (science education expert and instructor during Fall 2020) and (right) Alex Spokoyny (course originator and instructor during Fall 2017–2019).

Fig. 9:

Summary of student post-course responses in a Chemistry 3 course taught in 2019. The question asked whether students agree that the course helped them to achieve key learning outcomes: LO1. Estimate the size and relative dimensions of the microscopic world; LO2. Explain complexities associated with the toxicity of materials; LO3. Gain a qualitative understanding of light/matter interactions; LO4. Make connections between historical and technological events; LO5. Connect technologies with societal areas of need; LO6. Predict outcomes of emerging technologies.