REU Site: Enhancing Knowledge Integration Through Undergraduate Research -- Particle-based Functional Materials for Energy, Sustainability, and Biomedicine

今天的进步不是孤立发生的，而是发生在两种或多种技术的交叉点上。 在生物医学、可持续发展和能源领域尤其如此。 这个为期三年的更新REU网站的重点：通过本科研究增强知识整合-基于粒子的能源，可持续性和生物医学功能材料，在匹兹堡大学，是由材料的计算和实验研究，实现特定的功能，无论是因为它们的颗粒性质或由于颗粒对结构的影响。 这些系统包括：材料自我修复、治疗药物的受控输送、“智能”催化和颗粒分离。该计划的主要目标人群包括来自主要本科院校的学生和来自代表性不足群体的学生。这个REU网站的更广泛的影响将在于整合教学和研究，以及本科生的培训，同时进行多样化的研究，这将有利于整个社会。这个为期10周的暑期课程的目标是：1）每年培养12名本科生进行独立研究; 2）提高学生整合知识的能力; 3）培养REU学生更好地参与产品设计过程。 这是通过将REU网站的传统研究与定制的研讨会系列，翻译练习和创新的“交叉培训”实习相结合来实现的。

Today's advances don't happen in isolation, but instead occur at the intersections of two or more technologies. This is especially true in biomedicine, sustainability, and energy. The focus of this three year renewal REU Site: Enhancing Knowledge Integration Through Undergraduate Research-Particle-based Functional Materials for Energy, Sustainability, and Biomedicine, at the University of Pittsburgh, is comprised of computational and experimental studies of materials that fulfill a specific function either because of their particulate nature or due to the influence of particles on structure. Such systems include: material self-healing, controlled delivery of therapeutics, "smart" catalysis and particle separations. The primary target populations for this program include students from primarily undergraduate institutions and students from underrepresented groups. The broader impacts of this REU Site will lie in integrating teaching and research, and training of undergraduate students while at the same time performing diverse research that will be beneficial to society at large. The goals of this 10 week summer program are to 1) train 12 undergraduate students per year to perform independent research; 2) increase the students' ability to integrate knowledge; and 3) produce REU students that are better equipped to participate in the product design process. This is accomplished by combining the traditional research of an REU site with a tailored workshop series, a translation exercise, and an innovating "cross-training" internship.