REU site: Advancing polymer materials by integrating chemistry and chemical engineering

科罗拉多矿业学院（CSM）的本科生研究经验（REU）站点为来自不同背景的高素质化学和化学工程专业学生提供独特的跨学科研究经验，特别是与燃料电池、太阳能材料、可持续性和医疗保健等尖端技术相关的研究经验。高分子材料改善了几乎每个美国人的日常生活。在20世纪末，许多大规模生产的产品，如汽车保险杠，开始用聚合物制造，因为聚合物结合了良好的机械性能，重量轻，成本效益高。21世纪的技术创新也将在可再生能源、可持续发展和医药领域利用高分子材料。引进这样的本科研究经验将培养我们未来的人力资源，并有助于推动塑料和聚合物行业走向更先进的技术、创新的产品和高效的工艺。REU网站为本科生提供了一个为期10周的暑期研究机会，利用最先进的方法，对整合聚合物科学和工程的前沿项目进行研究，这将加强和加强他们的课堂知识，并鼓励他们追求研究生教育。这将通过化学和化学工程的整合来实现。这个项目的独特之处包括化学和化学工程专业学生之间的交流，以及要解决的应用领域范围——从可再生能源到可持续发展再到医疗保健。夏季研究活动还补充了技术讲座以及与国家可再生能源实验室（NREL）和科罗拉多州儿童医院的合作。该计划的另一个独特之处在于，随着创新从实验室走向市场，拟议的研讨会将探讨新技术商业化所固有的挑战。这种方法补充了强大的专业发展计划，将准备学生考虑在该领域的高级研究。

This renewal Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site at Colorado School of Mines (CSM) offers unique interdisciplinary research experiences especially related to cutting edge technologies like fuel cells, solar materials, sustainability, and health care to highly qualified chemistry and chemical engineering students from diverse backgrounds. Polymer materials improve the daily lives of nearly every person in the United States. At the end of the 20th century, many mass-produced items, like car bumpers, started to be made with polymers due to combining good mechanical properties with being lightweight and cost effective. Technological innovation in the 21st century will also leverage polymer materials in the areas of renewable energy, sustainability, and medicine. Introducing undergraduate research experiences such as this will train our future human resources and help drive the plastic and polymer industry toward more advanced technology, innovative products, and efficient processes.The REU Site offers opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in a 10-week summer research experience on cutting-edge projects integrating polymer science and engineering, using state-of-the-art methods, which reinforce and strengthen their classroom knowledge and encourage pursuit of graduate education. This will be achieved through integration of chemistry and chemical engineering. Unique aspects of this program include the exchanges between chemistry and chemical engineering students, as well as the range of application areas to be addressed - from renewable energy to sustainability to health care. Summer research activities are also supplemented with technical lectures as well as collaborations with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Children's Hospital Colorado. Another unique aspect of this program is the proposed workshop on the challenges inherent in commercializing new technologies, as innovations move from lab to market. This approach complements the strong professional development program that will prepare students to consider advanced studies in the field.