REU Site: Environmental Engineering Solutions for Pollution Prevention (EESPP-REU)

Suny At Buffalo, Amherst NY

Investigators

Abstract

This renewal Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the University of Buffalo trains undergraduate researchers to address regional and global pollution prevention concerns within 3 themes: detection, source control, and remediation. Inherent with pollution prevention studies is the potential for societal benefits through improvements to human health or economics. Consistent with the program's research themes, projects may identify pollutants that were previously unrecognized, develop control technologies that limit air or water pollution emissions, or remediate sites that threaten human health. Research projects in this REU Site integrate engineering and science to solve pollution prevention issues relevant to the Buffalo-Niagara region and the globe. Each project is expected to have an immediate impact on environmental or human health and/or the economy of western New York. Students from underrepresented groups including women, minorities, and students with minimal exposure to STEM research from local, regional and national colleges or universities will be recruited. During the ten-week summer program students are paired with a research mentor to conduct transformative pollution prevention research and make focused contributions to faculty projects in thematic research clusters addressing pollutant detection, source control, and remediation. These themes, considered together, address the wider "Pollution Prevention" focus of this REU program. Weekly group meetings of the REU cohort foster student-student communications using training workshops and professional or social networking opportunities. A community service program, piloted and improved throughout the previous two REU programs, will continue to be implemented in this REU program to provide concrete evidence of societal impact. A concluding Research Symposium, as well as support for post-REU conference presentations and publications, provides students opportunities to hone their communication skills, disseminate research results and expand opportunities for knowledge advancement. The REU program stresses its graduate school enrollment assessment by providing GRE prep training to interested participants.