REU Site: Nanoscale Science Undergraduate Research Experience (NanoSURE) at UNC Charlotte

University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, Charlotte NC

Investigators

Abstract

This award by the Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense's Award to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research (ASSURE) Program supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte for the summers of 2015-2017. Ten undergraduates are selected for the NanoSURE REU program each year. Participants join interdisciplinary research teams which focus on ongoing collaborative projects with faculty members from the Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Program in Nanoscale Science. Targeted student participants range from rising freshmen through rising seniors and include students who belong to undergraduate populations where research opportunities are limited, or who are from underrepresented groups. Activities include a 10-week undergraduate research experience, workshops and seminars, outreach training and activity, and various social/cultural activities. The primary broader impact of the NanoSURE program is the advancement of nanoscale science research opportunities at the undergraduate level and the development of a diverse workforce able to meet the multi-disciplinary challenges of the nanotechnology field. The REU site provides a mentor-guided research experience to students from underrepresented groups (women and minorities) and students from institutions in which access to research training is limited [HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), PUIs (Primarily Undergraduate Institutions), and community colleges]. The direct involvement of rising freshmen in the research experience stimulates this group of students to pursue college degrees in STEM disciplines. The NanoSURE REU site also partners with the Discovery Place of Charlotte, NC to provide training in scientific outreach and an opportunity for REU students to disseminate science to the general public.