REU Site: An International Research Experience for Chemistry Undergraduate Students in Austria (iREU)

Syracuse University, Syracuse NY

Investigators

Abstract

In this International REU Sites funded by the Chemistry Division and the International Science and Engineering (ISE) Section of the Office of International and Integrative Activities (OIIA) both at the National Science Foundation, Professors Karin Ruhlandt and Michael Sponsler of Syracuse University will oversee the mentored research participation of six American students, recruited nationally each year, for ten weeks at either of two Austrian universities, the Technical University of Graz and Karl Franzens University of Graz. These institutions will fund the research participation of a similar number of Austrian research students at Syracuse University. The research exchange program, begun in 2005 with NSF support, provides the students both research experience and opportunities for intense cultural immersion. The American students will also attend a capstone event at Syracuse University three months after their return to the US. They will be reunited for a reception in their honor and a symposium in which they will describe their scientific accomplishments and cultural insights. The broader impacts of this program include the students' intimate insights into the technical and non-technical aspects of international science provided by their experience and preparing them to successfully operate and serve as leaders in the global arena of science. Benefits of international exposure will also accrue to students and other members of the chemistry departments in both Graz and Syracuse. Participating students will develop a number of lasting and useful international contacts. The research done by the students will also be presented at conferences and published in journals.