Travel Assistance Awards for Symposium Undergraduate Research in Polymer Science at 2008 Spring National ACS Meeting in New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008

学术价值。通过为参与的本科生提供机会展示他们在国家层面上创造性学术活动的结果，专门致力于表彰和庆祝学生杰出工作的研讨会是激励这些学生并在智力上激发他们对研究生教育的进一步兴趣的最有效手段之一。研讨会将让参与的学生有机会讨论他们的研究项目，并与其他学生、研究生、教职员工和专业科学家交流想法。此外，学生还将练习演讲技巧，并获得在首映式、国家级、专业科学会议上展示研究的宝贵经验。广泛的影响。研讨会将有助于表彰聚合物科学和工程领域的优秀本科生，培养网络和曝光率，介绍研究生研究和教育机会，并帮助发展学术界和工业界未来领导者的职业生涯。研讨会还将为学生和指导教师提供一个机会，见证学生项目如何促进教师的研究，并为更广泛的社区服务。此外，它还将为下一代本科生提供动力。那些还没有从事这些研究的人可以了解他们的同学是如何培养他们的研究兴趣的。“科学家什么时候成为科学家？不是当一个人知道许多事实，甚至深入理解自然世界的某个方面时。我建议，当对一种现象的好奇心导致对新知识的探索时，这种转变就会发生。这可能发生在一个对某一学科了解很少或很多的人身上。这是一种探究的态度。”

Intellectual merit.By providing the opportunity for participating undergraduate students to display theresults of their creative academic activities at the national level, the Symposium, which isspecifically dedicated to recognize and celebrate the students' exceptional work, is one of themost effective means to motivate these students and intellectually stimulate their further interestin graduate education. The symposium will give participating students a chance to discuss theirresearch projects and exchange ideas with other students, graduate researchers, faculty andprofessional scientists. In addition students will practice presentation skills and gain invaluableexperience presenting research at a premiere, national level, professional scientific conference.Broader Impact.The symposium will serve to provide recognition to outstanding undergraduate studentsin polymer science and engineering, to foster networking and exposure, to introduceopportunities in graduate research and education and to help develop the careers of future leadersin both academia and industry. The symposium will also offer an occasion for students andsupervising faculty to witness how student projects enhance faculty research and also serve thegreater community. Additionally, it will provide motivation for future generations ofundergraduate students. Those who are not engaged in these pursuits as yet can learn how theirfellow students developed their research interests."When does a scientist become a scientist? It is not when a person knows many facts andeven understands in depth some aspect of the natural world. I would suggest the transitionoccurs when curiosity about a phenomenon leads to an inquiry for new knowledge. This canoccur in a person with little or lots of knowledge about a subject. It is an attitude of inquiry".