Chemistry student finds research and community through InSciTE

For Jordan Kobielus, a chemistry student at Central Michigan University, science isn’t just about formulas and lab work, it’s about making connections, both in research and in the classroom. Since transferring from Alpena Community College to CMU in Fall 2023, Kobielus has immersed herself in innovative research and found a supportive academic community through the university’s InSciTE program.

Kobielus’s research focuses on course-based undergraduate research experiences, or CUREs, which bring real research techniques into the classroom. Working with CMU chemistry faculty member Dr. Janice Tomasik, her lab has implemented two CUREs: one involving nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and another focusing on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis, techniques usually reserved for advanced chemistry and biology courses.

“We’re trying to show students how the concepts they’re learning apply to the real world,” Kobielus explained. “By integrating these experiences into the classroom, students gain both technical skills and a better understanding of the scientific method.”

The NMR CURE allowed students to study the breakdown of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) using NMR spectra, while the biochemistry CURE had students harvesting cells, running PCR, and interpreting gel electrophoresis results. Students reported gains in lab techniques and scientific reasoning.

“These results are influencing my master’s research,” she said. “I want to develop an alternative NMR procedure where students can prepare their own samples and perform their own reactions.”

While her research is shaping her future career as a chemistry instructor, it was InSciTE that helped her grow as a scientist, a teacher-in-training, and a member of CMU’s academic community.

InSciTE (Integration of Science, Engineering, and Technology), is designed to give students hands-on, collaborative research experiences in a non-traditional classroom setting.

Kobielus joined InSciTE to gain interdisciplinary research skills, experience the research process in a guided environment, and explore innovative teaching methods she could one day bring to her own classroom.

“I’ve learned so much about project management and research design,” she said. “The program provides scaffolding for our projects, which not only helped me develop as a researcher but also showed me what good support looks like for project-based learning. That’s something I can take into my own teaching career.”

Beyond the research experience, InSciTE gave Kobielus something she deeply valued, a sense of community.

“CMU is a big campus, and InSciTE made it feel small,” she said. “I met students and faculty who have positively impacted my time here, and I wouldn’t have crossed paths with them otherwise.”

Kobielus will begin her master’s degree in the fall, continuing her research into improving hands-on CUREs for undergraduate students. She highly recommends the InSciTE program to others, especially those interested in research or teaching.

“The projects push you outside your comfort zone, but they help you grow as both a scientist and a person,” she said. “I’m thankful for the experience, it’s shaped the way I approach research, teaching, and science as a whole.”