REU Site: Sensors and Metrology for the Manufacturing Enterprise

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Abstract for Raman, EEC-0453363: This REU award for a Site on Sensors and Metrology for the Manufacturing Enterprise supports 8 engineering and science students each year for three years in a 10-week summer research experience at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. Intellectual Merit: The objective of this program is to formally introduce and involve undergraduate students to research in metrology and sensors. The participants conduct research on topics such as coordinate tolerance metrology, machining tribology, roughness metrology and gain experience in emerging areas such as Scanning Probe Microscopy, Laser-Doppler Velocimetry, sensor networks, and optical interferometry. Further, each participant learns to conduct literature surveys, formulate hypotheses, design experiments to collect data, analyze and interpret the data and communicate their work through written and oral presentation. These experiences are facilitated by the PI and a team of research mentors. Students undertake both individual projects as well as team research. Standard teaming exercises are conducted, and students learn to synthesize and analyze engineering problems while bringing diverse individual expertise to teams. Although research is introduced by the mentors, the student's own experiences enhance their understanding of problems. Ethics training is incorporated in research situations in addition to structured workshops. Faculty presentations of research, workshops, lab and industry tours, progress reports, and social activities provide a broad experience.Broader Impacts: Metrology is essential to the maintenance of product quality, process improvement, and evolution of newer manufacturing processes and equipment. By exposing more students to this important area, the program seeks to improve the nation's competitiveness in manufacturing. Sensing/metrology for nanosciences, biomanufacturing, and MEMS are studied under this umbrella, promoting cutting-edge to over-the-horizon research. This REU site attempts to motivate students to participate in research leading to graduate and doctoral work. Coordination with RET and GK-12 opportunities are pursued as appropriate. Recruitment: Students are recruited nationally through advertisement and publicity. Specially targeted will be students who come from non-research institutions where such opportunities may not be available. The recruitment of under-represented minorities in engineering such as women, Native-, Hispanic- and African-Americans is a major focus for this project. Evaluation: A formative evaluation plan is designed to obtain feedback and to monitor the progress of the students after they conclude their formal term. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.