An Interdisciplinary Materials Science REU Program at James Madison University

James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

The James Madison University (JMU) Center for Materials Science offers a Research Experience for Undergraduates in the unique environment of a primarily undergraduate university with strong support for interdisciplinary research in materials science. Students in this program work in small groups with other undergraduates under the direct supervision of a JMU faculty member. The students and faculty come from a wide variety of backgrounds including physics, chemistry, engineering, geology, and mathematics. Projects include the fabrication of microfluidic devices, the growth and characterization of carbon nanotubes, the modeling of granular materials and crystallization processes, and the chemistry associated with technically important metal oxides and organic molecules that have potential uses in molecular motors. Students will work with state of the art equipment in a class 10000 clean room, metal deposition and photolithography tools, scanning probe and electron microscopes and optical spectrometers. Students also participate in activities that enhance their technical communication and presentation skills and are given the opportunity to travel to regional and national meetings to present their work before a broader audience. This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program and NSF Division of Materials Research in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate.