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

该项目的更广泛的意义：这个REU网站将在可持续能源研究，包括风能，太阳能和生物能源项目每年夏天吸引十名本科生。该网站将提供丰富的研究经验，专注于参与者的个人和专业发展。学生不仅将获得进行可持续能源研究所需的技术能力，而且还将了解与可持续能源相关的社会和政治问题。通过参与可持续能源的团队推广项目，学生将学会将他们的研究传达给广泛的受众，并了解他们的研究如何融入社会。REU网站还将促进来自代表性不足群体的学生参与研究和研究生院。项目描述：这个REU网站将从事可持续能源的研究，每年夏天十名本科生。这个REU网站的目标是帮助学生发展必要的技术技能进行可持续能源研究，可持续性的理解作为一个应用，多学科领域，从事终身学习的能力，以及沟通工程和科学主题的能力K-12学生和公众观众。 REU网站还将加强招收学生，特别是来自代表性不足的少数民族的学生，进入科学和工程研究生课程。为了实现这些目标，与会者将对生物燃料、风能和太阳能、可充电电池、小型可再生能源系统和藻类进行研究。他们将在夏季结束的研究研讨会上口头介绍他们的研究成果。除了他们的研究，学生将参加可持续发展和专业发展的每周研讨会。 他们将参加实地考察，参观风力发电场和乙醇工厂，并参加一些社区建设活动（例如，参观Konza Prairie）。该项目的最后一个关键组成部分将是纳入一个与可持续性有关的团队外联项目。在这个项目中，学生群体将与K-12学生和公众观众互动。感谢工程教育和中心司的支持。

BROADER SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT:This REU site will engage ten undergraduate students each summer in research on sustainable energy, including projects on wind, solar and bioenergy. This 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. PROJECT DESCRIPTION:This REU site will engage ten undergraduate students in research on sustainable energy each summer. The objectives of this REU site are to help students develop the technical skills necessary to conduct research on sustainable energy, an understanding of sustainability as an applied, multidisciplinary field, the ability to engage in life-long learning, and the ability to communicate engineering and science topics to K-12 students and public audiences. The REU site will also enhance recruitment of students, particularly students from underrepresented minorities, into graduate studies in science and engineering. Towards meeting these objectives, participants will conduct research on biofuels, wind and solar energy, rechargeable batteries, small renewal energy systems, and algae. They will orally present the results of their research in a poster at a summer-ending research symposium. In addition to their research, students will participate in weekly seminars on sustainability and professional development. They will attend field trips to see a wind farm and an ethanol plant, and be engaged in a number of community building activities (e.g., a visit to the Konza Prairie). 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 K-12 students and public audiences. Support from the Division of Engineering Education and Centers is gratefully acknowledged.