REU Site: Earth, Wind, and Fire: Sustainable Energy for the 21st Century

Kansas State University, Manhattan KS

Investigators

Abstract

Proposal: 0851799 PI Name: Keith l. Hohn This three year REU site program at Kansas State University (KSU) will provide undergraduate students research experiences focused around the theme of sustainable energy. Specific learning objectives of this program include: 1) to develop and apply knowledge and skills in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering, and research methods; 2) to develop an understanding of sustainability as an applied multidisciplinary field encompassing economics, science, technology, and the social, political, and ethical issues facing society; and 3) to develop a recognition of the need for and ability to engage in life-long learning by increasing the capacity for self-directed learning and original investigation. In order to enhance the hands-on laboratory research experience, a variety of additional activities have been incorporated. These include the following: 1) weekly seminars on sustainability and professional development; 2) weekly brown bag lunches and evening social activities, various field trips to unique sites such as a wind farm and the nuclear reactor at KSU; and 3) students will give oral presentations at a research symposium which will allow them to present their work in a friendly and supportive environment. Seminars will include topics such as laboratory safety, laboratory research notebooks, multidisciplinary teamwork, writing a scientific paper, patents and patent applications, technical presentations, poster presentations, graduate education and career paths. As part of the professional development seminars, students will be asked to maintain a journal where they reflect on their REU experience. At the end of the summer, the participants will be asked to review their journal entries, and synthesize the materials into a paper describing how their perspectives, attitudes, and understanding of sustainability, science and engineering, and research have been impacted by their participation in the REU program. In an effort to enhance diversity, the Principal Investigator will recruit undergraduate students from the Haskell Indian Nations University, other Native American universities, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The research conducted by the REU students under the guidance of their faculty mentors will advance the state of knowledge in sustainable energy.