REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology

这个为期三年的REU现场项目将是总部设在杜克大学的纳米技术环境影响中心(CEINT)的一部分。它将由三所CEINT伙伴大学主办：杜克大学、弗吉尼亚理工大学和卡内基梅隆大学，以及位于法国普罗旺斯艾克斯的欧洲地球科学和环境研究和教育中心(CEREGE)。在参与者过渡到各自的研究地点之前，第一周将在杜克大学举行迎新活动。为了让学生从这样一个中心提供的多个研究学科和研究中获得最佳利益，参与者将通过每周的跨站点视频会议和REU网站提供的在线协作，继续他们在迎新期间发起的交流。REU计划将利用CEINT内部建立的培训活动，如研讨会、正在进行的座谈会和每周研究小组会议，并提供关于科学方法、数据分析和专业演示的深入培训。该计划的目标包括：(1)鼓励不同的学生在与纳米技术研究相关的新兴科学和工程领域从事职业；(2)提高学生对纳米技术研究的伦理背景和以对环境负责的方式发展纳米技术的重要性的认识；(3)促进对复杂、不断变化的参数的全面理解，这些参数正在出现，作为在细胞、组织和生态系统层面上减轻纳米材料的环境影响的因素。此外，学生还将有机会学习使用尖端的实验室和成像技术，通过CEINT提供的丰富的实验室设施和现场地点来识别纳米粒子的命运、运输和结构行为。此外，还将采用独特的跨学科团队方法指导学生进行跨主题的研究项目，这些主题旨在将纳米材料的基本物理和化学性质与其观察到的生物和生态系统效应联系起来。学生的机会将涉及六个纳米尺度的研究主题：暴露：运输和转化；细胞和组织反应；对生态系统的影响；人造纳米材料；天然和附带的纳米颗粒；以及风险评估和建模。REU学生将学习风险评估如何提供反馈以指导未来的研究，并将了解不断变化的参数，这些参数被认为对纳米技术的国际比较研究非常重要。该项目将扩大CEINT面向美国三所大学和法国的本科生的课程，为理工科本科生创造跨大学和国际机会。招生工作将针对代表性不足的群体，特别是女性和少数族裔以及研究机会有限的机构的学生。REU计划旨在激励本科生在环境科学和工程以及纳米技术研究的新兴领域继续研究生教育和未来的职业生涯。

This three-year REU Site program will be part of the Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEINT) headquartered at Duke University. It will be hosted by three CEINT partner universities; Duke, Virginia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon as well as the European Center for Research and Education in Geosciences and the Environment (CEREGE) in Aix-en-Provence, France. An Orientation will be held at Duke in week one prior to participants transitioning to their respective research site. In order for students to gain optimal benefits from the multiple research disciplines and research available through such a Center, participants will continue their communications initiated during Orientation through weekly cross-site videoconferencing and via the online collaboratory offered by the REU Site. The REU program will leverage training activities established within CEINT such as seminars, ongoing colloquia and weekly research team meetings and provide in-depth training in the scientific method, data analysis, and professional presentations. The program objectives include: (1) encouraging a diverse group of students towards careers in emerging fields in science and engineering related to nanotechnology research; (2 ) increasing student awareness of the ethical context of nanotechnology research and the importance of developing nanotechnology in an environmentally responsible manner; and (3) facilitation a comprehensive understanding of the complex, evolving parameters emerging as factors mitigating environmental impacts of nanomaterials at the cellular, organismic and ecosystem levels. In addition students will have the opportunity to learn to use cutting-edge lab and imaging technologies for identifying nanoparticle fate, transport, and structural behaviors through the rich array of lab facilities and field sites available through CEINT.It will also feature a unique, interdisciplinary team approach to mentoring students on research projects across themes designed to link fundamental physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials at the nanoscale with their observed biological and ecosystem effects. Student opportunities will be available across six nanoscale research themes: Exposure: Transport & Transformation; Cellular and Organismal Responses; Impacts on Ecosystems; Manufactured Nanomaterials; Natural and Incidental Nanoparticles; and Risk Assessment and Modeling. REU students will learn how risk assessment provides feedback to guide future research and will learn about evolving parameters considered important for comparative international studies in nanotechnology.This program will expand CEINT's programs for undergraduates across three US universities and in France, creating trans-university and international opportunities for undergraduate students in the sciences and engineering. Recruitment efforts will be targeted to students from underrepresented groups, particularly females and minorities and from institutions with limited research opportunities. The REU program seeks to inspire undergraduate students to pursue graduate education and future careers in emerging fields in environmental science and engineering as well as nanotechnology research.