REU Site: Engineering Next Generation Energy Processes and Systems

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Increased energy usage by the United States (in addition to developing countries) has negatively impacted energy costs and has occasionally led to energy shortages. These trends are expected to worsen in coming decades, as energy usage in the U.S. alone is projected to grow by more than 50% in the next 25 years. Clearly, developing new and innovative approaches to energy generation and energy systems will be a key challenge for the next generation. To meet this challenge, it is critical that the next generation of engineers learn to develop novel, yet practical solutions to energy related problems. They must understand the critical issues related to energy generation and learn to attack unfamiliar problems in this field. This will be accomplished by conducting energy research. This REU Site program at the University of Connecticut will give twelve undergraduates per year an opportunity to conduct research on next generation energy processes and systems. Each of the twelve students will have two faculty mentors, who will help steer the project. In addition to the student's research efforts, this program also provides a series of novel seminars and workshops that are intended: (1) to provide a framework for conducting research through a series of seminars on "how to do research", (2 ) to insure that the students understand how to conduct research ethically, (3) to increase their awareness of the many industry-based problems related to energy generation and (4) to improve their written and oral communication skills. The program will conclude with an end-of-program mini-conference, at which participants will present their research findings. The continued increase in world-wide energy utilization poses problems that can no longer be ignored. New technical solutions will be required to address increased energy generation. Moreover, a continuous stream of trained professionals will be required to provide research and design expertise. By involving undergraduate engineering students in a structured program to introduce them to the challenges in energy generation research, this program expects to provide some of these professionals. Moreover, this program will also introduce important insight into research ethics and communications. The REU site program has five clearly identifiable broader impacts. These include: (1) students will conduct meaningful research that contributes knowledge toward their respective problems, (2) students will appreciate the importance and complexity of doing research and doing it ethically, (3) that, in part, because of this research experience the students will pursue graduate work, (4) that this program will encourage students from underrepresented groups to participate in research, and (5) PIs will port the ideas developed from this program (specifically dealing with "how to do research" and "research ethics") to the undergraduate program, such that a larger audience will be affected.