Summer Research Experiences in Materials and Manufacturing Engineering for Community College Students

Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) provides an opportunity for 24 undergraduate students to participate in a 10-week summerprogram where each student will have an opportunity to engage in engineering research on meaningful projects in the area of the design and manufacture of metal alloys. The students will be recruited from 20 community colleges in the Los Angeles area with the objective of attracting students from groups traditionally under-represented in the engineering profession. The work will be conducted under the guidance of a staff that has had much success in directing undergraduate students in research work. The students will also be directly monitored by industry and national laboratory personnel. Each of the students will be trained and given responsibility for the performance of an ongoing research project. The students will be expected to publish, as co-authors, the results of their work and to earn university credit for their efforts. Selected students will present the results of their work at conferences of professional organizations. The program will include field trips to five of the top industrial research laboratories in Southern California. Each participant will have access to the extensive information and computational resources of LMU's computer network. In addition, hands-on workshops on word processing, spreadsheets, technical report writing, e-mail and the internet will be conducted. Finally, the students will participate in weekly workshops where they will explore the ethical dimensions of engineering research. The goal of this program is to provide an exciting, productive and rewarding research experience that will inspire the participating students to complete their undergraduate studies in engineering and to engage eventually in advanced study and research at the post graduate level.