REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Chemical Assembly at the University of Nebraska

在这个由美国国家科学基金会化学部本科生研究经验项目资助的项目中，内布拉斯加大学林肯分校的Mark Griep教授及其同事将在三年的时间里，每年资助10名学生进行为期10周的暑期研究项目。该培训计划的总体目标有两个：(1)通过让本科生参与分析和解决复杂问题来教授和培养对科学的兴趣，(2)显著影响该计划学生的职业决策。该项目为来自代表性不足群体的本科生提供研究机会，作为增加进入美国化学研究项目的有才华学生的多样性和数量的关键一步。至少60%的REU学生是女性和/或来自代表性不足的群体。每个学生都与一位研究生导师配对，导师在指导他人做研究方面获得经验。来自经济困难家庭的上进数学科学（UBMS）高中学生学习总结REU学生的项目，并在REU学生的参加下做口头报告。这个项目的研究机会在化学装配领域。这涵盖了一系列项目，从胶体在表面上的受控组装，到组装纳米级催化剂的合成，再到生物分子的定向修饰。学生参与信息技术、靶向药物、能源存储等领域的创新。化学组装也与环保技术紧密相连，因为在制造过程中浪费的原子更少。

In this project funded by the Research Experiences for Undergraduates program of the Chemistry Division of NSF, Professor Mark Griep and colleagues at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will support ten students in a ten week summer research program each year for three years. The overall goals of this training program are two-fold: (1) teach and nurture interest in science by engaging undergraduate students in analyzing and solving complex problems, and (2) significantly impacting the career decisions of students in the program. This program provides research opportunities for undergraduates from under-represented groups as a critical step on the path to increasing the diversity and number of talented students entering the nation's chemical research programs. At least 60% of the REU students are female and/or from under-represented groups. Each student is paired with a graduate mentor, who gains experience in teaching others to do research. Upward Bound Math Science (UBMS) high school students from economically disadvantaged households learn to summarize REU students' projects and give oral presentations attended by the REU students.The research opportunities in this program in are in the area of chemical assembly. This covers a range of projects extending from the controlled assembly of colloids onto surfaces, to the synthesis of assembled nanoscale catalysts, and to the directed modification of biomolecules. Students are involved in innovations in the areas of information technology, targeted medicines, energy storage, and others. Chemical assembly is also strongly aligned with environment-friendly technologies because fewer atoms are wasted during the manufacturing process.