​​Dr. Simone Aloisio, Professor and Chair of Chemistry, has made undergraduate research experiences — “giving students’ ownership over their own identities as scientists” — one of the linchpins of the Chemistry program. As a first generation college student, Dr. Aloisio found opportunities to be important and influential during his college education. Dr. Aloisio now creates opportunities by mentoring his research students. More than a dozen students are working with him to examine the effects of climate change on air quality by measuring ozone in the air and measuring mercury to determine the risk of human exposure.