REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Nanoscale Science and Engineering

Northwestern University, Evanston IL

Investigators

Abstract

Nanotechnology is one of the fastest-growing research areas and is widely recognized as having the potential to revolutionize fields as wide-ranging as energy, medicine, environmental science, and biotechnology. It is also an area that integrates disciplines, generating a highly creative environment that breaks down traditional academic silos. At Northwestern University, nanotechnology is recognized as one of the pillars of excellence, due in large part to the International Institute for Nanotechnology (IIN). This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site for Nanoscale Science and Engineering at Northwestern University, hosted by the IIN, will provide diverse cohorts of undergraduates with meaningful, goal-oriented, laboratory research experiences for a 9-week period over the summer. The foundation of scientific and technological progress is an educated and motivated scientific workforce. Research is a valuable experience in critical thinking and skill development for undergraduates, and summer research experiences - that are not fragmented by classwork and extracurricular obligations - are especially valuable for exposing undergraduates to realistic day-to-day operations of a research lab, and for allowing them to engage deeply in a single challenging research project. During the summer IIN will host a unique program in an intellectually stimulating environment that provides research opportunities in Chemistry, Biology, Medicine, Physics, and several Engineering disciplines, all connected through their focus on nanoscience and nanotechnology. This REU program strongly emphasizes the recruitment of undergraduates from institutions where academic-year research opportunities and/or resources to conduct scientific research are scarce, in order to increase the representation of all ethnicities, genders, and socioeconomic groups in the STEM workforce. Each student will be mentored by a faculty member and a graduate student team within a framework that moves from guided supervision to independent work as abilities allow. The students will problem solve and contribute to the development of new tools, materials, and methods while exploring nanoscale and atomic-scale systems, phenomena, and devices. The cohort will be strengthened by weekly meetings/seminars, field trips, social activities, and shared on-campus housing. The program will include an interactive public speaking workshop, one-on-one technical writing sessions, and access and training on state-of-the-art instrumentation. Participants will present their findings at a Closing Symposium and in a written technical report. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.