REU Site: Summer Research Internships in Manufacturing and Techno-Entrepreneurship Preparation

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BROADER SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PROJECT:This new three year Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site focuses on manufacturing related research and provides student interns with techno-entrepreneurship experiences. The potential impact of this REU site arises from the students' involvement in one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas of engineering - manufacturing research, both basic and applied. This unique experience will play a transformational role in preparing future leaders in the emerging areas of manufacturing. The research topics also address some of the cutting-edge manufacturing technologies which will be key areas for the US industry and national competitiveness for the next few decades. Furthermore, the process and the focus of recruitment on participation of underrepresented groups will lead to a much broader exposure of young students in this group. This exposure and experience will lead to the development and improvement of disadvantaged communities through the empowering potential of techno-entrepreneurship. It is anticipated that this site will also impact the nation's need to increase the number of U.S. citizens and permanent residents engaged in research-related and start-up careers in private sector.PROJECT DESCRIPTION:The five project objectives of the REU site are to: 1) provide undergraduate students with opportunities to conduct manufacturing research; 2) increase the number of future professionals in manufacturing; 3) allow interns to self-assess their interest in techno-entrepreneurship; 4) allow interns to self-assess their interest in graduate school, and; 5) enable the College of Engineering at Tennessee Tech University (TTU) to become, and be perceived as, a nationally recognized top tier undergraduate and graduate program. Each year, a different group of ten talented freshmen though senior undergraduate students will be nationally recruited to conduct research on the TTU campus as part of this ten-week summer internship program. Ten faculty members and ten graduate students from the College of Engineering will serve as mentors. The program includes a Lean LauchPad short course, professional development workshops, and an off-campus techno-entrepreneurship enrichment program. Recruitment of summer interns will be from five groups: 1) institutions with a limited STEM research base (at least 50% of the students); 2) minority institutions; 3) women; 4) persons with disabilities, and; 5) TTU programs (no more than 30% of total from TTU). Selection of interns will be based upon their career objectives, academic qualifications, past work experiences, underrepresented groups and institution type.