REU Site: Biofuels Development - Feedstock to Tailpipe

堪萨斯大学这个为期三年的REU现场项目的目标是：1)让本科生参与跨学科的前沿研究项目，重点是生物质生产和加工、燃料的化学转化以及发动机性能和分析；2)提供解决多学科问题所需的广泛学科和团队合作，例如利用废水喂养的藻类生产生物燃料；以及3)为来自美国各地的不同群体的本科生提供一个独特的学术和社交互动机会，旨在建立一个更一体化的毕业工程师网络。所有本科生将在一名教师导师的指导下工作，并与一名由NSF生物燃料教师研究经验(RET)赞助的K-12教师一起工作。除了研究活动外，学生还将参加座谈会、共同的社会活动、当地产业之旅和研讨会。每周的研讨会主题包括：1)安全，2)研究方法，3)文献检索，4)数据分析，5)职业机会，6)口头报告，7)报告/论文写作，8)研究生院“入门读物”，9)研究与工程伦理。KY还将通过自助金计划提供一个为期一天的特别专业发展研讨会，为学生提供研究和研究生机会方面的职业指导。在暑期结束时，学生将被要求提交一份期末项目报告，以及一份专业水平的海报。海报将在项目结束时的招贴会/招待会上展示，招贴会将包括所有其他REU学生和KU的暑期本科生。此外，PI打算继续他在波兰罗兹的国际项目，因为它与REU专注于生物燃料的现场项目直接相关。KU的本科生将通过当地学生和罗兹大学的学生在暑期举行的3次正式视频会议和讨论，以及通过将罗兹的项目直接融入REU现场重点来参与。参赛者将从全国范围内招募，包括化学、环境和机械工程，以及化学和生物。为了帮助招收代表性不足的学生，国际学生联合会与一些历史上的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)进行了接触，并参加了路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与博览会联盟、女工程师协会(SWE)和全国黑人工程师协会(NSBE)。参加这个REU网站计划的学生将被鼓励继续研究生学习和研究事业。

The objectives of this three-year REU Site program at the University of Kansas are to: 1) engage undergraduate students in stimulating, cutting-edge research projects in the interdisciplinary Feedstock to Tailpipe Initiative, focusing on biomass production and processing, chemical transformation into fuels, and engine performance and analysis; 2) provide exposure to the breadth of disciplines and teamwork needed to attack a multidisciplinary problem such as biofuel production from wastewater-fed algae; and 3) provide a unique opportunity for a diverse population of undergraduate students from across the United States to interact both academically and socially, aimed at building a more integrated network of graduating engineers. All of the undergraduate students will work under a faculty mentor, and alongside a K-12 teacher sponsored by the NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in biofuels. In addition to the research activities the students will participate in symposia, common social activities, local industry tours, and seminars. The weekly seminar topics include: 1) Safety, 2) Research Methods, 3) Literature Searching, 4) data Analysis, 5) Career Opportunities, 6) Oral Presentations, 7) Report/Paper Writing, 8) a Graduate School "primer", and 9) Ethics in Research and Engineering. A special one-day professional development workshop will also be offered through the SELF Fellowship Program at KY to provide guidance for students on careers in research and graduate school opportunities. At the end of the summer students will be required to a final project report along with a professional quality poster. Posters will be presented at a poster session/reception at the end of the program which will include all other REU students and summer undergraduates at KU.In addition, the PI intends to continue his international program in Lodz, Poland because it has direct relevance to this REU Site program focused on biofuels. The undergraduate students at KU will participate through formal video conferences and discussions held 3 times during the summer between the local students and the students at Lodz, and by integrating the projects in Lodz directly into the REU Site focus.Participants will be recruited nationally from a variety of disciplines including chemical, environmental and mechanical engineering, as well as from chemistry and biology. To aid in the recruitment of underrepresented students the PI has made contacts with a number Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and participates in the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation Expos, Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Students who participate in this REU Site program will be encouraged to pursue graduate studies and research careers.