REU Site for Interdisciplinary Materials Research

Southern Illinois University At Carbondale, Carbondale IL

Investigators

Abstract

TECHNICAL SUMMARY This REU site will focus on the training of 14 undergraduate students [(12 x NSF) + (2 x SIUC)] for a 10-week period each summer in the area of materials research, broadly defined. An interdisciplinary team includes faculty mentors in Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering, as well as members of relevant SIUC research centers (e.g. Materials Technology Center and the Center for Advanced Friction Studies). Inclusion of mentors from various disciplines and established multidisciplinary centers will enable the REU students to develop skills needed to excel in both academic and industrial research environments, where interdisciplinary teams are standard and researchers must communicate effectively across disciplines. A detailed assessment plan is utilized to gauge the performance of our program in meeting its defined goals (which include increasing the numbers of US students pursuing careers in STEM fields, particularly from underrepresented groups). The research projects involving the REU student participants are highly interdisciplinary and emphasize materials chemistry and nanotechnology, allowing students to be exposed to projects at the forefront of science and engineering. Such projects include: studies related to synthesis of advanced functional nanomaterials (Carbon nanotubes, graphene, metal oxide nanowires, inorganic heterostructures, polymer thin films/brushes, nanocomposites etc.); materials characterization (for example via electron microscopies, solid- and solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (e.g. MALDI MS), low-temperature electronic and magnetic transport measurements, UV/Vis/IR/Raman spectroscopies, etc.); theoretical / computational studies (wherein students will learn how to study materials via density functional theory (DFT) calculations, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, etc.); and materials applications related to energy storage, photovoltaics, and tribology (among others). Students will also have opportunities to network with other scientists and engineers through various social activities, and will present their work at a summer research colloquium. This REU Site is made possible through generous support from the Office of Special Programs, Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY This REU site will focus on the training of 14 undergraduate students per summer in the area of materials research, broadly defined. Inclusion of mentors from various disciplines and established on-campus multidisciplinary centers will enable the REU students to develop skills needed to excel in both academic and industrial research environments, where interdisciplinary teams are standard and researchers must communicate effectively across disciplines. Students will also be required to think about the application of their research to new technologies and to consider issues related to the manufacturing of new devices. This REU site has six primary goals: 1) to create a positive image of science and engineering as a career choice. Students will leave the program with a greater sense of the trials, tribulations, and rewards that await them; 2) to instill a sense of confidence in the art of discussing and practicing science; 3) to improve their oral and written communication skills; 4) to teach basic research tools, including literature searches and the operation of modern instrumentation; 5) to foster a collaborative teamwork approach to research; and 6) to increase the number of domestic students, especially those from underrepresented groups, who choose to further their careers in science and engineering. A detailed assessment plan is utilized to evaluate the program's success in meeting these goals. Students will also learn to network with other scientists and engineers through various social activities. The research proposed here is highly interdisciplinary and emphasizes materials chemistry and nanotechnology. More generally, research projects within the program are excellent training grounds for chemists, physicists, and engineers working in materials and related fields. SIUC, the host institution of this REU Site, is committed to involving underrepresented groups and has a long history of success at building diversity on campus. In particular, this program's previous REU participants included significant numbers of underrepresented groups (~30%; ~40% counting women from physics and engineering) and women (>47%). Moreover, SIUC is the only research-intensive university in the Southern Illinois region, which comprises a large geographical area that is socio-economically disadvantaged. Thus, this Program serves a large number of economically disadvantaged and first-generation college students. This REU Site is made possible through generous support from the Office of Special Programs, Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation.