REU Site: Combining Career Preparation with Environmental Research in Chemistry, Physics and Materials Science at the University of Oregon

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The Research Experiences for Undergraduates Sites program in the NSF Division of Chemistry supports Professor Geraldine Richmond and colleagues at the University of Oregon to host REU Site: Combining Career Preparation with Environmental Research in Chemistry, Physics, and Materials Science. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. Twelve students are recruited for 10 weeks of interdisciplinary research each summer. Students choose from 18 interdisciplinary projects that focus on environmental issues. Research activities are augmented by career building workshops that include topics such as scientific and workplace communication, entrepreneurship, ethics, negotiation, and leadership. The site provides students with cutting edge research experiences, equips them with essential career skills, and develops long term mentoring relationships. The faculty involved with this interdisciplinary REU program come from chemistry, physics and materials science fields, allowing students to cross the traditional academic boundaries. Examples of the projects include the development of new solar materials, syntheses and characterization of environmentally relevant catalysts, creation of greener nanoparticle systems, and increasing the fundamental understanding of oil dispersants. The broader impact of this project is that it increases the number of science undergraduate students from underrepresented groups and increases the students' success in their careers.