UMN MRSEC REU Site in Nanomaterials

技术摘要：明尼苏达大学材料研究科学与工程中心（MRSEC）感谢国家科学基金会材料研究部对UMN MRSEC REU纳米材料网站的资助。REU网站将从四年制大学，少数民族服务机构和区域社区学院的全国网络带来有才华的本科生到UMN校园进行为期10周的密集研究体验。UMN MRSEC由四个跨学科研究小组（IRG）组成，致力于解决各种“软”到“硬”材料的紧迫问题：聚合物，有机电子，磁性材料和纳米颗粒。 MRSEC的教师和学生分布在六个不同的科学和工程部门，确保所有参与者获得特别广泛的跨学科经验。研究顾问/导师代表了初级，高级和职业中期教师的吸引力混合;所有人都是各自领域公认的领导者。本科研究培训包括三个基本和必要的要素：（一）提供一个独立的密集的研究项目，大多数在他们的家乡机构;（二）发展有效的多层次的指导学生参与者和教师，研究生，博士后研究员与他们的工作;以及（iii）提高学生为进入研究生院做准备所需的技能（技术写作，口头报告，道德问题，GRE实践），同时为本科生提供了一个现实的预览研究生院的经验。非技术性总结：明尼苏达大学，材料研究科学与工程中心（MRSEC）感谢国家科学基金会材料研究部对UMN MRSEC REU纳米材料网站的资助。UMN MRSEC由四个跨学科研究小组（IRG）组成，致力于解决各种“软”到“硬”材料的紧迫问题：聚合物，有机电子，磁性材料和纳米颗粒。 REU/RET计划将提供材料科学与工程方面的高质量研究和教育经验，主要面向来自研究机会有限的本科院校的学生（64%的参与者获得了先前的奖项），以及主要来自双子城大都市地区的高中教师。该中心已证明在包括妇女和代表性不足的群体（49%和38%，分别在以前的REU奖，DMR-0754792）在这些活动中的成员一致和不断增长的成功，通过与四年制和两年制大学的长期合作伙伴关系，以及少数民族服务机构。MRSEC研究固有的跨学科性质对于培养下一代科学家和工程师以及确保美国的竞争力尤为重要。我们设想这一全面的计划，在其范围和执行，作为一种手段，以满足提出的许多挑战，由国家科学院评估的国家科学和工程教育讨论在其1997年出版物，上升以上的聚集风暴

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:The University of Minnesota, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) acknowledges the support of the Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation for funding of the UMN MRSEC REU Site in Nanomaterials. The REU Site will bring talented undergraduates from a national network of four-year colleges, Minority-Serving Institutions, and regional Community Colleges to the UMN campus for an intensive 10-week research experience. The UMN MRSEC comprises four Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) addressing pressing problems over a wide range of "soft" to "hard" materials: polymers, organic electronics, magnetic materials, and nanoparticles. MRSEC faculty and students are based in six different science and engineering departments, assuring a particularly broad and interdisciplinary experience for all the participants. The research advisors/mentors represent an appealing blend of junior, senior, and mid-career faculty; all are acknowledged leaders in their fields. Undergraduate research training is comprised of three fundamental and essential elements: (i) providing an independent intensive research project unavailable for most at their home institutions; (ii) developing effective multi-tiered mentoring relationships between student participants and faculty, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows with whom they work; and (iii) enhancing those skills students need in preparation for graduate school (technical writing, oral presentation, ethical issues, GRE practice), while providing undergraduate students with a realistic preview of the graduate school experience.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: The University of Minnesota, Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) acknowledges the support of the Division of Materials Research of the National Science Foundation for funding of the UMN MRSEC REU Site in Nanomaterials. The UMN MRSEC comprises four Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRGs) addressing pressing problems over a wide range of "soft" to "hard" materials: polymers, organic electronics, magnetic materials, and nanoparticles. The REU/RET program will provide high-quality research and education experiences in Materials Science and Engineering, primarily to students from undergraduate institutions with limited research opportunities (64% of participants for previous award), and to high school teachers principally from the Twin Cities metropolitan area. The Center has demonstrated consistent and growing success at including women and members of underrepresented groups (49% and 38% respectively, in the previous REU award, DMR-0754792) in these activities, enabled by long-term partnerships with four- and two-year colleges, and Minority Serving Institutions. The inherently interdisciplinary nature of MRSEC research is particularly important for training the next generation of scientists and engineers and assuring U.S. competitiveness. We envision this comprehensive program, in both its scope and execution, as a means of meeting many of the challenges set forth by the National Academy of Sciences assessment of the state of science and engineering education discussed in its 1997 publication, Rising Above the Gathering Storm