IGERT: Functional Nanomaterials for Sustainable Energy Solutions

这个综合研究生教育和研究培训（IGERT）奖为南卡罗来纳大学哥伦比亚分校的博士生提供独特的培训和技能，以推进可持续能源生产纳米材料的科学和工程。受训人员正在跨学科研究小组中合作，接受替代能源生产方面的技术教育，并获得技术商业化、企业精神和科学传播方面的经验。智力优势：三个主要研究领域指导学员设计可应用于能量转换的材料，涉及：(1)将二氧化碳转化为液体燃料；(2)生物质原料转化为液体燃料；(3)将太阳能转化为电能。学员参与问题——？基于学习和案例研究，通过研究和课程作业来解决每个研究问题。在探索其研究领域的基本物理定律和工程约束的同时，学生们正在参与并竞争一个新的校园创新项目。更广泛的影响：这个项目？它强调创业精神和强有力的技术培训，使受训者能够在快速增长的可再生能源工业和现有化石燃料基础设施中担任领导角色。南卡罗来纳大学哥伦比亚分校？与北卡罗莱纳州农业和技术州立大学合作，鼓励代表性不足的群体参与该项目。此外，学员将与南卡罗来纳州长一起参与外展活动。为STEM高中学生提供研究机会和指导。IGERT是一个NSF——？广泛的计划，旨在满足培养具有跨学科背景，所选学科的深厚知识以及未来职业需求所需的技术，专业和个人技能的美国博士，科学家和工程师的挑战。该项目旨在建立研究生教育和培训的新模式，在一个超越传统学科界限的合作研究的肥沃环境中，让学生了解研究转化为社会效益创新的过程。

This Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) award provides Ph.D. students at the University of South Carolina at Columbia with the unique training and skill sets to advance the science and engineering of nanomaterials for sustainable energy generation. Trainees are collaborating in interdisciplinary research teams to receive a technical education in alternative energy production and to gain experience in technology commercialization, entrepreneurship and science communication.Intellectual Merit: Three main research areas direct trainees to design materials that can be applied to energy conversion involving: (1) transformation of carbon dioxide into liquid fuels; (2) conversion of biomass feedstock to liquid fuels; and (3) modifying solar energy into electricity. Trainees engage in problem--?]based learning and use case studies to address each research question through research and coursework. While exploring the basic underlying physical laws and engineering constraints for their research areas, students are participating and competing in a new campus innovation program.Broader Impacts: This project?fs emphasis on entrepreneurship and strong technical training is preparing trainees to take leadership roles within the fast growing renewable energy industries and existing fossil fuel infrastructure. The University of South Carolina at Columbia?fs campus programs and partnership with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, encourage the participation of underrepresented groups in this project. Additionally, trainees are engaging in outreach activities with the South Carolina Governor?fs School for Science and Mathematics, to provide research opportunities and mentoring to STEM high school students. IGERT is an NSF--?]wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to establish new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries, and to engage students in understanding the processes by which research is translated to innovations for societal benefit.