REU Site: Developing a Clean Energy Future with Underserved Students

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester MA

Investigators

Abstract

The transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy is needed to address environmental problems facing the world and generate significant economic growth. It requires training a new generation of scientists and engineers well versed in renewable energy science and technology. This REU Site: Developing a Clean Energy Future with Underserved Students at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) will support training of ten students per year for three years in clean energy science and technology, and introduce them to future careers in the renewable energy industry, non-for-profits and government sector, academic research and STEM education. Strong emphasis will be placed on recruiting students from traditionally disadvantaged groups: racial and ethnic minorities, women, and students from low socioeconomic status communities. REU participants will pursue independent research projects in biomass conversion to fuels, solar energy, and energy efficient devices for high bandwidth communications. They will join interdisciplinary research teams in the WPI Energy Research Group. In addition to research, the REU will focus on professional development of the participants, through weekly career development seminars and company visits. Participating students will also take on mentorship roles and develop teaching modules on renewable energy for high school students from Worcester Girls Inc., an organization empowering young women for success in STEM careers. This experience will increase both REU and Girls, Inc. students' awareness of the broader societal impacts of clean energy technology and of their potential for bringing about positive change in their communities and society overall. This REU Site will provide ten undergraduate students per year research experiences in various aspects clean energy. The proposed projects address current problems in areas such as biomass conversion, solar energy, energy efficiency and photonic devices for reducing the energy consumption by data centers and communications. A diverse cohort of participants with majority coming from traditionally disadvantaged groups will be recruited with the help of partner institutions: Central Massachusetts community colleges and several minority-serving universities across the United States. In addition to research opportunities, participants will benefit from mentorship and professional development activities aimed at helping them explore careers in research, industry and STEM education. 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.