RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES (REU) SITE

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site, located at the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM) at the University of Pennsylvania, provides an opportunity for ten undergraduate students per year to participate in hands-on research in the interdisciplinary field of materials research. The objectives of the program are to motivate participants to pursue graduate education in STEM programs and to encourage them to pursue post-graduate careers in all areas of materials-related research. These objectives are achieved by incorporating students into active research groups associated with the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) at the University, which has a base of approximately 40 interdisciplinary faculty members in nine departments in Science, Engineering, and Medicine. To enhance the research experience, a variety of activities have been incorporated. Students attend lectures on laboratory and public safety and a workshop course on Ethics in science and engineering. In addition, a weekly seminar series of lectures is given by MRSEC-affiliated faculty on their current research, including such topics as nanotechnology, liquid crystals, and biomaterials. During the last week of the program, students are required to make an oral presentation of their research before their peers and any members of the research community who wish to attend. They must also submit a final research paper before leaving the program and awards are made for the best papers in the fields of chemistry, physics, and engineering.