Undergraduate research in chemistry: challenges for research-active faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions

In August of 2003 an Undergraduate Research Summit was held at Bates College, Lewiston, Maine. Funded by the Chemistry Division of the National Science Foundation and co-organized by Prof. Thomas Wenzel (Chemistry Department, Bates College) and Dr. Robert Lichter (Merrimack Consultants LLC), the summit consisted of discussions initiated by a number of white papers. A full report of the summit was disseminated and discussed at a number of American Chemical Society National Meetings.

Prof. John Stevens (Chemistry Department, University of North Carolina at Asheville) and I co-authored a piece on "Generating Research Ideas" for the summit and report. Are the views expressed in this seven-year-old white paper still relevant? Indeed, does the entire report still offer a useful perspective on the challenges associated with undergraduate research?