REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site

University Of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA

Investigators

Abstract

ID: 1359351 PI: Yodh, Arjun ORG: University of Pennsylvania Title: REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION The objective of the proposed REU Site program is to provide a diverse group of 10 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) undergraduates with hands-on experience in materials research. Student participants will be hosted by the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM) at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) for 10 weeks during the summer. The intellectual focus of the program will be to introduce students to materials research as a cohesive subject of study. This objective will be achieved by incorporating the student participants into active research groups of faculty affiliated with the LRSM, which has a tradition of excellence in interdisciplinary materials research. The program will expose students to the different areas of research that comprise the basic framework of a modern materials program. Importantly, students also receive a series of lectures on research ethics, laboratory safety, and the fundamentals of materials science. Participants will be able to present their research findings both orally and in a written report, sometimes leading to publication in the scientific literature. The LRSM has 25 years of experience in organizing REU programs. These are currently operated in conjunction with the REU component of an NSF Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) that is hosted by the LRSM. NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION Program recruitment will target a diverse group of participants from a broad spectrum of colleges throughout the nation, especially minority-serving and small colleges without research capabilities. The breadth of materials topics covered in the LRSM research portfolio permits students from different disciplines to interact and appreciate applications of materials research in engineering, medicine, industry, and commerce. Approximately 85% of the REU Site participants go on to graduate STEM programs or to professional schools, with the remainder going to industry and other sectors. The combined base of 20-25 students from the REU Site and MRSEC REU provides for a comprehensive experience that enables clusters of students working in similar areas to interact and support one another; it also enables clusters of students in underrepresented groups to share experiences and mutual support. Thus, the LRSM REU programs develop human resources that enhance our nation's technology base and are critical for the well-being of society at-large.