Those departments that represent the physical and biological sciences at OSU have a long research tradition. Long-term vegetation monitoring at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County, investigation on pathogenic RNA molecules, and an ecological assessment of the impact of invasive grass species on ecosystem structure are among the projects currently being conducted by members of the Department of Botany. Researchers in the Department of Chemistry are developing sensors to monitor pollutants in groundwater, investigating new chemical compounds that have antiarrhythmic properties for the treatment of heart arrhythmia, and studying various aspects of highly branched polymers known as dendrimers. Research in this department often takes on an international look. Current research projects include scientists from Morocco and Kazakhstan. The Department of Physics also has a group of active researchers. In cooperation with the Center for Sensors and Sensor Technologies, several physics projects centered on the development of new sensors for a variety of applications are underway in the department. The department also continues its commitment to providing summer research experiences for undergraduate students in the area of optical materials and lasers, and has a research careers for minority scholars program to increase the representation of Blacks, Native Americans, and Hispanics in the field of condensed matter physics. The department's theoretical physicists continue their work in particle physics, mathematical physics, and computational studies of biological membranes. A project in the School of Geology is focusing on improving the techniques used to evaluate gas reservoirs in the US Gulf of Mexico.