REU Site for Interdisciplinary Materials Research

技术总结这个REU网站将集中培训14名本科生[(12 X NSF)+(2 X SIUC)]，每个夏天为期10周的材料研究领域的广义定义。一个跨学科的团队包括化学、物理和工程方面的教师导师，以及SIUC相关研究中心(如材料技术中心和高级摩擦研究中心)的成员。来自不同学科和已建立的多学科中心的导师将使REU的学生能够培养在学术和工业研究环境中出类拔萃所需的技能，在这些环境中，跨学科团队是标准的，研究人员必须跨学科进行有效的沟通。详细的评估计划被用来衡量我们项目在实现其明确目标方面的表现(包括增加在STEM领域寻求职业生涯的美国学生数量，特别是来自代表性不足的群体)。涉及REU学生参与者的研究项目是高度跨学科的，强调材料化学和纳米技术，使学生能够接触到科学和工程前沿的项目。这些项目包括：与先进功能纳米材料(碳纳米管、石墨烯、金属氧化物纳米线、无机异质结构、聚合物薄膜/刷子、纳米复合材料等)的合成有关的研究；材料表征(例如通过电子显微镜、固体和溶液核磁共振光谱、质谱学(例如MALDI MS)、低温电子和磁场传输测量、UV/VIS/IR/拉曼光谱等)；理论/计算研究(学生将学习如何通过密度泛函理论(DFT)计算和分子动力学(MD)模拟等来研究材料)；以及与储能、光伏和摩擦学等相关的材料应用。学生们还将有机会通过各种社会活动与其他科学家和工程师建立联系，并将在夏季研究座谈会上展示他们的工作。这个REU网站是在国家科学基金会材料研究部特别计划办公室的慷慨支持下建立的。非技术性总结这个REU网站将专注于每个夏天在材料研究领域的14名本科生的培训，广义的材料研究。来自不同学科的导师和建立的校园多学科中心将使REU的学生能够培养在学术和工业研究环境中出类拔萃所需的技能，在这些环境中，跨学科团队是标准的，研究人员必须进行有效的跨学科交流。学生还将被要求考虑将他们的研究应用于新技术，并考虑与制造新设备有关的问题。这个REU网站有六个主要目标：1)创建科学和工程作为职业选择的积极形象。学生们将对等待他们的考验、磨难和回报有更多的感受；2)向讨论和实践科学的艺术灌输信心；3)提高他们的口头和书面沟通能力；4)教授基本的研究工具，包括文献检索和现代仪器的操作；5)培养合作研究的团队精神；6)增加国内学生的数量，特别是那些来自代表不足的群体的学生，他们选择在科学和工程领域进一步发展自己的职业生涯。详细的评估计划被用来评估该计划在实现这些目标方面的成功。学生还将通过各种社会活动学习与其他科学家和工程师建立网络联系。这里提出的研究是高度跨学科的，强调材料化学和纳米技术。更广泛地说，该计划内的研究项目是材料和相关领域的化学家、物理学家和工程师的极好的培训基地。SIUC是REU网站的主办机构，致力于让代表性不足的群体参与进来，并在校园内建立多样性方面有着悠久的成功历史。特别是，该方案以前的REU参与者包括相当数量的代表不足的群体(约30%；约40%，包括物理和工程专业的女性)和女性(47%)。此外，SIUC是南伊利诺伊州地区唯一一所研究密集型大学，该地区包括一个社会经济不利的大片地理区域。因此，该计划服务于大量经济困难的第一代大学生。这个REU网站是在国家科学基金会材料研究部特别计划办公室的慷慨支持下建立的。

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis REU site will focus on the training of 14 undergraduate students [(12 x NSF) + (2 x SIUC)] for a 10-week period each summer in the area of materials research, broadly defined. An interdisciplinary team includes faculty mentors in Chemistry, Physics, and Engineering, as well as members of relevant SIUC research centers (e.g. Materials Technology Center and the Center for Advanced Friction Studies). Inclusion of mentors from various disciplines and established multidisciplinary centers will enable the REU students to develop skills needed to excel in both academic and industrial research environments, where interdisciplinary teams are standard and researchers must communicate effectively across disciplines. A detailed assessment plan is utilized to gauge the performance of our program in meeting its defined goals (which include increasing the numbers of US students pursuing careers in STEM fields, particularly from underrepresented groups). The research projects involving the REU student participants are highly interdisciplinary and emphasize materials chemistry and nanotechnology, allowing students to be exposed to projects at the forefront of science and engineering. Such projects include: studies related to synthesis of advanced functional nanomaterials (Carbon nanotubes, graphene, metal oxide nanowires, inorganic heterostructures, polymer thin films/brushes, nanocomposites etc.); materials characterization (for example via electron microscopies, solid- and solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry (e.g. MALDI MS), low-temperature electronic and magnetic transport measurements, UV/Vis/IR/Raman spectroscopies, etc.); theoretical / computational studies (wherein students will learn how to study materials via density functional theory (DFT) calculations, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, etc.); and materials applications related to energy storage, photovoltaics, and tribology (among others). Students will also have opportunities to network with other scientists and engineers through various social activities, and will present their work at a summer research colloquium. This REU Site is made possible through generous support from the Office of Special Programs, Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation. NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis REU site will focus on the training of 14 undergraduate students per summer in the area of materials research, broadly defined. Inclusion of mentors from various disciplines and established on-campus multidisciplinary centers will enable the REU students to develop skills needed to excel in both academic and industrial research environments, where interdisciplinary teams are standard and researchers must communicate effectively across disciplines. Students will also be required to think about the application of their research to new technologies and to consider issues related to the manufacturing of new devices. This REU site has six primary goals: 1) to create a positive image of science and engineering as a career choice. Students will leave the program with a greater sense of the trials, tribulations, and rewards that await them; 2) to instill a sense of confidence in the art of discussing and practicing science; 3) to improve their oral and written communication skills; 4) to teach basic research tools, including literature searches and the operation of modern instrumentation; 5) to foster a collaborative teamwork approach to research; and 6) to increase the number of domestic students, especially those from underrepresented groups, who choose to further their careers in science and engineering. A detailed assessment plan is utilized to evaluate the program's success in meeting these goals. Students will also learn to network with other scientists and engineers through various social activities. The research proposed here is highly interdisciplinary and emphasizes materials chemistry and nanotechnology. More generally, research projects within the program are excellent training grounds for chemists, physicists, and engineers working in materials and related fields. SIUC, the host institution of this REU Site, is committed to involving underrepresented groups and has a long history of success at building diversity on campus. In particular, this program's previous REU participants included significant numbers of underrepresented groups (~30%; ~40% counting women from physics and engineering) and women (47%). Moreover, SIUC is the only research-intensive university in the Southern Illinois region, which comprises a large geographical area that is socio-economically disadvantaged. Thus, this Program serves a large number of economically disadvantaged and first-generation college students. This REU Site is made possible through generous support from the Office of Special Programs, Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation.