REU Site: Materials Chemistry Research: Synthesis, Characterization, and Device Fabrication

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This award from the Division of Chemistry supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at Colorado State University (CSU) for the summers of 2007-2009. The site director is Ellen Fisher and the co-director is Nancy Levinger. Eight students will work with Chemistry and Engineering faculty on interdisciplinary projects in materials chemistry. CSU will partner with five regional minority-serving institutions to increase the participation of underrepresented students. An additional six CSU students will participate in the ten-week REU program with university support. The materials theme will expose participants to research areas with potentially significant future impacts, ranging from new and renewable sources of energy to improved materials for medical implants. The primary goal of this REU site is to provide authentic research experiences for undergraduates with little or no access to such opportunities and to help these students advance their understanding of science outside of the laboratory. Discussions of ethics and moral reasoning will be infused into the research activities to promote the idea that ethical behavior is critical to all aspects of being a professional scientist. The REU program also includes instruction in information technology, resume writing, oral and poster presentation skills, and field trips to local chemical industries. This site integrates a research experience for teachers (RET) component, which will provide opportunities for high school chemistry teachers to develop and adapt nanomaterials laboratory activities for their classrooms. The RET participants will interact with the REU students through these activities and through the ethics program.