REU Site: Summer MAterials Research @ Tulane (SMART)

Tulane University, New Orleans LA

Investigators

Abstract

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The Summer MAterials Research @ Tulane Research Experiences for Undergraduates (SMART-REU) site engages a diverse cohort of students in summer materials research projects, thereby sustaining a pipeline of students entering advanced graduate study in STEM. SMART participants engage in cutting-edge research projects supervised by Tulane University's faculty, learn about a broad range of research and graduate school topics in weekly workshops and discussion panels, and strengthen relationships through group activities in the greater New Orleans community. Research projects offered to participants broadly fall within the fields of materials for Health, Energy, and the Environment, which reflect the strengths of Tulane's Science and Engineering faculty; furthermore, these fields are nationally in need of skilled STEM graduates to sustain growth in advanced technology development. To broaden participation across a range of groups, SMART actively recruits women and participants from under-represented groups through partnerships with faculty at Xavier University of Louisiana (a Historically Black College or University), Dillard University (HBCU), Prairie View A&M University (HCBU), and the University of the Incarnate Word (a Hispanic-Serving Institution), as well as from institutions that do not have doctoral programs in STEM to reach undergraduates who may not have many research opportunities at their home institutions. The long-term payoff of the SMART-REU site is the promotion of advanced STEM field study to a broader base of students with ties to Louisiana and the Gulf Region who can support future tech sector economic development both regionally and nationally. TECHNICAL DETAILS: To build undergraduate student competence in advanced research techniques, participants in the SMART-REU summer research program engage in a wide range of materials research projects like the synthesis of polymeric transdermal drug delivery vehicles (Materials for Health), the development of large area, ultra-high-power density two-dimensional photovoltaics (Materials for Energy), and the fabrication of nano-porous membranes to recover oil from emulsions (Materials for the Environment). To broaden exposure to the field of materials science and engineering, SMART-REU participants attend weekly faculty-led research workshops covering all aspects of materials research taking place at Tulane University. To explore potential careers in an advanced STEM field, participants engage in biweekly discussion groups on the graduate school experience (led by graduate mentors), possible research careers (led by faculty), and entrepreneurship (led by faculty who have commercialized their research). The summer program concludes with a poster symposium where students present their research successes to the greater Tulane community. SMART tracks past participants through surveys assessing the impact of the SMART-REU program on their career paths to proactively improve the program in ways that maximize the impact of the site for future participants. 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.