Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Chemistry at the University of Florida / France

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This joint Chemistry Division and Division of International Programs award supports the continuation of a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at the University of Florida. Randolph Duran is the site's Program Director; Michael Scott is the Co-Program Director. Over twenty faculty from French institutions are available to serve as REU mentors for U.S. students. During the award period (2001-2003), each summer ten students will travel to France to participate in a 10-12 week program at several French institutions, including Universite Pierre et Marie Curie, University Montpellier, CNRS National Laboratory, and University of Strasbourg. (Note: Through French funding, a similar number of French students, recruited from the same institutions, will be doing summer research at the University of Florida.) Recruitment efforts will extend nationwide, targeting more then 80 institutions with noted minority enrollments. The research topics for the students will center on materials chemistry. A mid-program science workshop will afford students the opportunity to hear one or two lectures on a focused topic and to interact scientifically. The student participants will see research performed in a different manner and within a different cultural context from the traditional U.S. model. Student participants will conclude the program with a project summary presentation at the French institution where the research is being done. An enhanced evaluation of the program will be a longitudinal study via interviews and surveys aimed at examining the impact the international experience has on students' career choices and cultural attitudes.