Leiden University Summer Research Student Exchange Program

Research students in the chemistry department at St. Mary's College have an opportunity to visit Leiden University as a member of a summer student research exchange program. It is a wonderful opportunity for third or fourth year students pursuing a research experience in synthetic organic or bio-organic chemistry. A student in this program would spend eight weeks in the Netherlands at Leiden University doing research. Students from many countries around the world participate in this exchange program. For more information about this exchange program contact Dr. Andy Koch at askoch@smcm.edu .

Student Comments

One of our students, Jeremy Ryan, participated in the program last summer (2002). He describes his experience below.

I was a bit nervous about heading overseas when the opportunity was dropped into my lap, but I ended up in the Netherlands anyhow. Getting used to a new place and another country takes a while. The city of Leiden, however, was fairly friendly and a country bumpkin like me wasn't left horribly intimidated by the city. I spend my summer working for the University of Leiden working on sugar amino acids. These compounds are, as you might guess, a sugar modified with a carboxyl and amino end. They can then be combined with amino acids to make enzyme inhibitors and probes to study the structure of a binding site. This was my first shot at synthesis work, and I found it quite enjoyable. Anyone who has the chance to study there should certainly take it! Living in an international student house is always an adventure anyway. I have nothing but fond memories of my time there and of my work.