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Project SEED Brings High Schoolers to Campus for Chemistry Research
Faculty from four area universities mentor students in 10-week grant-funded program.
University News | August 14, 2025
This summer, èßäÊÓƵ’s chemistry labs were filled with discovery as high school students stepped into the shoes of real chemists. As part of VWU’s first Project SEED grant, students from across the region spent 10 weeks conducting hands-on chemistry research across local university campuses, including èßäÊÓƵ’s.
Participants engaged in research alongside faculty mentors from VWU, Hampton University, Old Dominion University, and William & Mary gaining real-world lab experience, professional skills, and a glimpse of college life.
Launched by the American Chemical Society (ACS), Project SEED was created to open doors for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds through hands-on summer research experiences. The project began as a response to calls for educational equity and has grown into a nationwide program that has placed more than 11,000 high school students in labs across 40 states and territories.
Each summer, participants work alongside mentors in academia for eight to 10 weeks, gaining real-world lab experience, professional skills, and a clearer path toward chemistry-related careers. In addition to hands-on research experience, Project SEED students receive a stipend for their work, committing 40 hours per week to their projects.
After applying, students are matched up with a school and a professor. Two rising high-school seniors, Natalie Fisher and Aniya Clark, spent their work week at èßäÊÓƵdoing research guided by Dr. Kevin Kittredge, VWU’s Chair and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Treasurer of the ACS Hampton Roads local chapter.
The research, titled “Equilibrium Acidities of Substituted Phenylnitromethanes in Water,” explored how certain compounds and chemicals absorb and react with UV light.
Clark said it was helpful learning from Dr. Kittredge’s experience. “This is research he did a couple years ago,” she said, “so it was great having him look over what we did.”
Fisher and Clark shared that, as is often typical in the research process, they had to learn to deal with failure. “It's been a lot of trial and error,” Fisher said, “but I think that in the end that helps us out, and it prepares us for more things.”
“The first three or four weeks of ours was a mitigated disaster,” Dr. Kittredge said. “You learn not everything works, what you write on paper doesn’t translate. You have to be able to adapt and think about the problem, which increases critical thinking.”
Nevertheless, their efficiency improved significantly throughout the summer. “Over these 10 weeks,” Clark said, “we’ve gotten way faster, more efficient, than what we began with.” At the end, they were able to process almost two compounds daily, compared to one initially.
Hosting high schoolers on campus gives èßäÊÓƵ a unique opportunity to showcase the university to students who might not otherwise be familiar with it. “Many of these students already know larger schools like ODU, William & Mary, or Hampton,” Dr. Kittredge said. “It’s a chance for them to see what we’re doing and get excited about the work. Getting our name and programs out there matters.”
“There’s a lot of legwork that has to go into the transition from high school to college for students,” said Isaiah Speight, Assistant Professor in Chemistry and mentor from William & Mary. “And so giving them the opportunity to be in the environment, to work alongside students that are doing chemistry at an exciting level, and giving them the opportunity to grow—that’s what’s really important.”
In addition to the mentoring they receive on campus, Project SEED students participate in weekly video conferences with the American Chemical Society’s national office. During these sessions, they connect with chemists working in a variety of fields, listen to presentations, and ask questions about college, chemistry degrees, and potential career paths during dedicated office hours.
The summer-long Project SEED program concluded last Friday, August 8, with a poster session in the lobby of Greer Environmental Sciences Center, welcoming parents, mentors, and local section members.