REU Site - Summer Internships in Nanomaterials and Nanomechanics

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This three-year REU Site program at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (UA) focuses on nanomaterials and nanomechanics. The objectives of the proposed REU program are: 1) to engage 10 undergraduate students each year in nanoscale engineering; 2) to allow students to self-assess their interest in graduate school; 3) to increase the number of future professionals in nanomaterials and nanomechanics; and 4) to enable the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UA to become and be recognized as a nationally top tier undergraduate and graduate program.REU participants will also be engaged in seminars and workshops to expose them to nanoscale engineering as well as professional development, emphasizing research and graduate studies. Complementary social activities include tours of regional research and industrial facilities, group outings to local areas of interest in collaboration with the other UA REU programs. The seminars and workshops will be delivered by faculty mentors and professional practitioners. Seminar topics include the following: 1) entrepreneurship; 2) nanoelectromechanics; 3) nanobiomechanics; atomistic modeling; and pico and nano satellites. The following six workshops will be held: 1) introduction to the library; 2) advanced library topics; 3) applying to graduate school; 4) GRE Practice Tests; 5) presentation skills and report writing; and 6) research and ethics. During week two of the program REU students will participate in a mini-symposium where they will make a 5 minute presentation on the rationale, objectives and proposed methodology for their research to faculty, graduate students, interns and the public. At the end of the program, the students will present their project results in a 12 minute conference style presentation to faculty, graduate students, interns and the public. Finally, they will be required to prepare a final written report of their research results.What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?Recruitment efforts will be targeted to undergraduate students from institutions with limited research activities, minority institutions, women, persons with disabilities and other UA programs. Participants will be strongly encouraged to present their research results at a technical conference related to their research.