Research Experience for Minority Undergraduates in Advanced Composite Piping Systems

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9619503 Pang ABSTRACT The objectives of this project are to: (1) enhance the technical and educational backgrounds of minority students by offering more collaborative research activities; (2) increase the number of minorities entering graduate school by providing vital information and necessary training for their admission to, and success in, graduate school; and (3) assist minority students in their development towards obtaining employment in high level engineering jobs. Minority student sin their junior and senior years of study will participate in this project. They will be recruited from Louisiana State University, the state's flagship institution, and Southern University, the largest HBCU (Historically Black College and University) in the nation. The 16 selected student per year will participate in several composite piping research programs of the investigators, funded by various federal and state agencies as well as industry, including the newly funded NSF Joint Faculty Appointment Program between Majority Black/Majority White Institutes entitled "Development of SU/LSU Joint Engineering Research and Educational Program in Composite Piping Systems." Present programs are currently supporting faculty as LSU/SU, research associates, graduate students, equipment, and supplies, but without enough resources for supporting undergraduate students. This REU project, if funded, will support (minority) undergraduate students who participate in this REU project with the NSF Joint Faculty Appointment Program and other research grants, thereby maximizing the benefits and impact. Parallel with the research component, each participant will receive professional counseling and instruction necessary for planning to attend graduate school, with particular attention given to admissions and funding. Participants will attend monthly seminars dealing with improved technical writing, graduate school survival for minorities, and ethical issues in engineering. The investigators have confidence that t he program will be a successful national model of how a historically black and majority white institution can jointly develop and assist minority students in developing research skills needed for industry, as well as graduated school. ***