The Godula Lab is proud of its member participation in outreach, education, and mentoring. We encourage our students to use their training to create broader impacts on our community through volunteering. Below are a few of the outreach activities and organizations we participate in.
ChemPAL, or Chemistry Peer Advisory League, is an organization where graduate students directly connect with undergraduates in small, focused, mentoring groups. Graduate students have the opportunity to mentor undergraduates studying chemistry to provide career insight, assist in placement into lab, internship, or job positions, and serve as an experienced chemistry resource. Additionally, ChemPAL hosts several skill based workshops, social/networking events throughout the year. Dr. Kamil Godula is the faculty mentor for the program. Godula lab members serve both as ChemPAL organizers and mentors to undergraduates.
A number of our students have been participating in the Reality Changers Program which focuses on providing students – grades 8 through 11 – with the tools to become first generation college students. This program meets once a week for three hours where time is split between practicing public speaking, learning new study techniques, and doing homework. Dan, Austen, Taryn, and Logan have enjoyed this opperunitiy to make an impact on the community by helping students succeed in academia!
Every summer, Godula lab members host and mentor visiting undergraduate students from STARS and other REU programs on campus. These students get hands on training in the laboratory and learn real life skills relevant to research science. Each student works closely with their mentor to achieve research goals and to put together a presentation of their success at the end of the program.
In addition to presenting at American Chemical Society (ACS) meetings and contributing to ACS journals, our students also volunteer with outreach projects hosted by the San Diego ACS. This includes Chem Expo and Earth Day celebrations. Our students have also brought research into the high school class room through the ACS Science Coaches program.