REU site: Experimental and Computational Methods for Materials Discovery

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The University of Florida (UF), a top-ranked public university located in a quintessential "college town”, will host a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site in Experimental and Computational Methods for Materials Discovery that provides an opportunity for undergraduate (UG) students to perform cutting-edge research in research topics which span the fundamental and applied science of materials ranging from superconductors to biomaterials with an emphasis on the applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in materials research and discovery. The students spend 10 weeks performing research for 30 to 40 hours per week and attend seminars, workshops, and laboratory tours to enhance their professional and scientific development. The main objectives of the REU site are (i) to introduce the participants to cutting-edge research topics in materials science and biophysics at a level accessible to undergraduates, (ii) to introduce the students to opportunities for further education and careers in science and engineering, (iii) recruit and retain students from underrepresented groups in science and engineering fields, and (iv) to provide valuable skills needed to succeed in science/engineering careers in academia or industry. Faculty mentors from the Physics, Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering departments with extensive experience in supervising undergraduate research receive additional training to develop realistic timelines for data acquisition and publication of research results with an emphasis on first/second year UG participants. The integrated research and training program is designed to build the scientific and technical workforce of tomorrow. TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The projects of this REU site have been selected to provide the students with a diverse set of research topics in condensed matter physics, materials science, and biophysics. Projects are grouped into three broad categories: (i) Discovery of new materials, (ii) Advanced materials characterization and exploratory techniques, and (iii) Computer simulations and modeling. The REU students are integrated into a faculty mentor’s research group to conduct independent research and are trained in state-of-the-art experimental techniques, such as thin film growth using pulsed laser deposition and magnetotransport measurements at low temperatures down to 50 mK in magnetic fields up to 9 T, and computational techniques, such as writing machine learning code for use with the UF HiPerGator supercomputer. In addition to spending time on their research projects, the students participate in weekly activities to enhance their scientific and professional development. They attend oral and written scientific communication workshops, participate in field trips to locations such as the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) in Tallahassee, and meet with UF graduate student organizations and UF alumni working in the industry. The students undertake outreach activities for K-12 students participating in on-campus programs organized by the UF Center for Precollegiate Education and Training and attend weekly research presentations followed by visits to UF laboratories such as the nanofabrication facilities. At the end of the summer the students give talks and prepare written reports of their research activities. 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.