REU Site: Summer Undergraduate Research Program at Clemson University

克莱姆森大学化学系的彭宁顿教授和加西亚教授及其同事主持了一个本科生研究经历（REU）网站。该网站由美国国防部与美国国家科学基金会化学REU项目合作支持。这个暑期本科生研究计划（SURP）每年吸引10名参与者，他们来自地区性的传统黑人学院和大学（HBCUs），主要是本科院校和两年制技术学院。本科生在先进材料和化学生物学领域进行研究。此外，通过大量的研讨会、研讨会和小组讨论，为本科生提供了许多个人和专业成长和发展的机会，主题包括仪器技术的基础、化学各学科的研究机会、职业规划和准备，以及女性和科学中代表性不足的群体的作用。招募和选拔过程的目标是女性和少数族裔学生，尽管他们的学术指标限制了他们在传统REU项目中的机会，但他们具有非认知因素（积极的自我概念、现实的自我评估、长期目标、系统导航、领导能力和示范社区服务），表明他们具有很强的研究才能。REU的学生在两个高影响力领域进行研究：先进材料和化学生物学，以改善我们社会的健康和生活质量。一些可供学生学习的领域包括碳纳米管-肽复合结构的研究，等离子体纳米粒子组件的合成和表征，用于燃料电池的质子导电聚合物电极的合成，纳米复合材料和生物相容性表面的开发，用于传感器和成像的量子点的研究，以及基于肽的手性催化剂的开发。学生在实验室接受的研究训练，在克莱姆森大学的工作坊、小组讨论和研讨会中培养的专业发展，以及随后在专业会议上的工作报告，都有助于学生在化学和相关科学领域成功地追求富有成效的职业生涯。

Professors Pennington and Garcia and their colleagues in the Chemistry Department of Clemson University host a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF Chemistry REU program. This Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) brings ten participants annually from regional Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), primarily undergraduate institutions, and two-year technical colleges. Undergraduates perform research in the areas of advanced materials and chemical biology. In addition, the undergraduates are provided many opportunities for personal and professional growth and development through numerous workshops, seminars, and panel discussions on topics ranging from the fundamentals of instrumentation techniques, research opportunities in the various disciplines of chemistry, career planning and preparation, and the role of women and underrepresented groups in the sciences. The recruitment and selection process targets female and underrepresented minority students who, despite having academic metrics that limit their opportunities in conventional REU programs, feature noncognitive factors (positive self-concept, realistic self-appraisal, long-range goals, system navigation, leadership, and demonstrated community service) that indicate a strong aptitude for research.The REU students perform research in two high impact areas: advanced materials and chemical biology to improve the health and quality of life of our society. Some of the areas of study available to students include examination of carbon nanotube-peptide composite structures, the synthesis and characterization of plasmonic nanoparticle assemblies, the synthesis of proton conducting polymer electrodes with applications to fuel cells, the development of nanocomposites and biocompatible surfaces, the study of quantum dots with applications to sensors and imaging, and the development of peptide-based chiral catalysts. The research training students receive in the lab, the professional development fostered by the workshops, panel discussions, and seminars at Clemson University, and the subsequent presentation of their work at professional conferences contributes to students' ability to successfully pursue a productive career in chemistry and related sciences.