REU SITES: Introduction to Engineering Opportunities through Research in Materials Processing

Purdue University, West Lafayette IN

Investigators

Abstract

9912195 Slamovich Purdue University establishes a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site with a focus on characterization and processing of materials. Twelve undergraduate students are recruited nationwide for a nine-week summer research experience, with a recruitment focus on science majors from predominantly undergraduate institutions. Students are involved in materials research that includes processing of polymers, metals and ceramics, oxidation and etching of silicon, processing of metal-ceramic composites. Faculty from the students' home institutions are invited to visit the REU Site to encourage them to incorporate materials concepts into their curricula. Science, mostly chemistry and physics, students from undergraduate institutions are introduced to materials science and engineering concepts through tutorials and research projects. This outreach to non-engineering students addresses the general lack of awareness about materials science and engineering in the traditional science undergraduate curriculum and provides a mechanism to propagate information about the field.