REU Site: Earth, Wind, and Fire: Sustainable Energy in the 21st Century

智慧价值这项拟议的REU网站更新建议为期三年，重点放在可持续能源领域。这个REU网站建立在堪萨斯州立大学2009年至2011年REU网站在可持续能源方面的成功基础上。该项目的核心是学生将进行的可持续能源研究。这些研究项目将包括来自化学、化学工程、电气和计算机工程、生物和农业工程以及谷物科学的教师导师。在这些项目中，学生将获得研究技能，并意识到应对可持续能源挑战所需的技术技能。学生将在暑假期间向他们的同龄人和合作伙伴口头介绍他们的研究结果一次，并在总结研究研讨会上通过海报演示。除了他们的研究外，学生们还将参加每周关于可持续发展和专业发展的研讨会。可持续发展研讨会将涵盖三重底线、气候变化、碳税和碳交易、风能、太阳能、生物燃料、可持续交通系统、能源效率和节约、水、土地、可持续室内环境、人口和可持续食品系统等主题。这些研讨会将是正式课程CHE 670可持续发展研讨会的一部分，学生将获得一小时的学分。专业发展研讨会将包括实验室安全、实验室研究笔记本、数据管理、撰写科学论文、技术演示、研究生教育和职业道路等主题。该项目的最后一个关键组成部分将包括与可持续发展有关的团队外展项目。在这个项目中，学生团体将与公众(在弗林特山探索中心)或K-12学生(在校园夏令营)就他们选择的可持续发展主题进行互动。堪萨斯州立大学科学教育中心的负责人将培训学生如何向非技术观众展示技术信息。这个团队项目将提高学生的交流能力，让学生看到他们研究的更广泛的影响，并了解他们如何通过研究积极影响社会。学生之间的社会化对于巩固研究经验和加强项目的多样性非常重要。为了促进这些互动，将计划一系列的社会活动，以在REU的学生和教师导师之间建立社区。这些活动将包括每周一次的校园午餐，到堪萨斯州立大学及其附近的独特地点(乙醇厂、水电站、风力发电场)进行实地考察，以及晚上的活动，如在附近的草原上徒步旅行。更广泛的影响拟议的REU网站将提供丰富的研究经验，重点放在参与者的个人和专业发展上。学生将不仅获得进行可持续能源研究所需的技术能力，而且还将意识到与可持续能源相关的社会和政治问题。通过参与一个关于可持续能源的团队推广项目，学生们将学会向广泛的受众交流他们的研究，以及他们的研究如何适应社会。REU网站还将加强来自代表性不足群体的学生参与研究和研究生院的活动。“该网站由国防部与NSF REU项目共同资助。”

Intellectual MeritThis proposed three-year REU site renewal proposal is focused in the area of sustainable energy. This REU site builds upon the success of an REU site in sustainable energy at Kansas State University from 2009 through 2011. The core of the program is the research the students will conduct on sustainable energy. These research projects will involve faculty mentors from chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, and grain science. In these projects, students will acquire research skills and become aware of the technical skills required for addressing challenges in sustainable energy. Students will orally present the results of their research to their peers and the co-PIs once during the summer and through a poster presentation at a concluding research symposium.In addition to their research, students will participate in weekly seminars on sustainability and professional development. The sustainability seminars will cover topics such as triple bottom line, climate change, carbon taxes and carbon trading, wind energy, solar energy, biofuels, sustainable transportation systems, energy efficiency and conservation, water, land, sustainable indoor environments, population, and sustainable food systems. These seminars will be part of a formal course, ChE 670 Sustainability Seminar, for which the students will receive one hour of academic credit. The professional development seminars will include topics such as laboratory safety, laboratory research notebooks, data management, writing a scientific paper, technical presentations, graduate education, and career paths.A final key component of this project will be the inclusion of a team outreach project related to sustainability. In this project, groups of students will interact with the public (at the Flint Hills Discovery Center) or K-12 students (at on-campus summer camps) about a topic on sustainability of their choosing. Students will be trained in how to present technical information to a non-technical audience by the head of the Center for Science Education at Kansas State. This team project will enhance student communication skills, allow students to see the broader implications of their research, and see how they can positively impact society through research.The socialization amongst the students is important in solidifying the research experience and reinforcing the diversity of the program. To facilitate these interactions a series of social activities will be planned to build community among the REU students and faculty mentors. These will include weekly brown bag lunches on campus, field trips to unique sites at and near Kansas State (ethanol plant, hydroelectric plant, wind farm), and evening activities such as a hike on a nearby prairie. Broader ImpactsThe proposed REU site will provide a rich research experience focused on the personal and professional development of the participants. Students will gain not only the technical abilities required to conduct research in sustainable energy, but will also become aware of the social and political issues associated with sustainable energy. By being involved in a team outreach project on sustainable energy, students will learn to communicate their research to broad audiences and about how their research fits into society. The REU site will also enhance the participation of students from underrepresented groups in research and in graduate school."The site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program."