REU Site: Sustainable Chemistry at Texas A&M University

得克萨斯农工大学本科生研究体验(REU)站点奖位于德克萨斯州的College Station，在2019-2021年夏季期间为9名本科生提供为期10周的培训。该计划由化学部资助，让参与者参与以可持续化学为中心的研究，特别是防止污染和减少化学过程对人类健康和环境的负面影响。为了促进专业发展，与会者参加了每周一次的可持续化学讲习班，由大学和工业专家发表演讲，他们提供背景知识以及他们项目的更大背景。该节目还强调了科学交流的重要性。在当地电视制片人和大学科学传播经理的指导下，本科生制作并向普通公众传播以可持续化学为主题的视频。该网站利用德克萨斯农工大学在服务老学生方面的机构优势和长期的合作伙伴关系，招募服务不足的退伍军人和代表不足的少数族裔学生，并为他们提供持续指导，帮助他们继续科学生涯。参与者参与高质量的研究体验，解决可持续化学中的重要问题，如开发更绿色的溶剂和试剂；开发更有效的反应和过程；以及探索可再生能源。这些项目利用了该部门在可持续化学方面的专业知识及其强大的基础设施，包括X射线衍射、核磁共振光谱、质谱学、材料表征和分子模拟的设施。REU网站还为学员提供了机构内和机构外的多名导师，这些关系在暑期项目正式结束后有意维持。该计划为处于职业生涯早期阶段的学生提供研究生水平的研究和持续指导的机会，同时寻求增加STEM学科的合格学生数量。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Texas A&M University, located in College Station, TX, supports the training of 9 undergraduate students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2019-2021. This program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, engages participants in research centered around sustainable chemistry, particularly on pollution prevention and reduction of the negative impacts of chemical processes on human health and the environment. To enhance professional development, participants take part in a weekly sustainable chemistry workshop with presentations from university and industrial experts who provide background knowledge, as well as the larger context for their projects. The program also emphasizes the importance of science communication. With coaching from local TV producers and the college science communication manager, the undergraduate students produce and disseminate videos on the theme of sustainable chemistry to the general public. The site leverages Texas A&M University's institutional strengths in serving veteran students and long-standing partnerships to recruit underserved student veterans and underrepresented minority students and provide them with continuing mentoring to help them continue in scientific careers.Participants take part in quality research experiences that address impactful problems in sustainable chemistry, such as the development of greener solvents and reagents; the development of more efficient reactions and processes; and the exploration of renewable energy resources. The projects utilize the department's expertise in sustainable chemistry and its strong infrastructure, including facilities for X-ray diffraction, NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, materials characterization, and molecular simulation. The REU Site also provides participants with multiple mentors, both at the intra- and extra-institutional level, and these relationships are intentionally sustained past the formal duration of the summer program. This program provides students at early career stages with opportunities for graduate level research and continued mentoring while seeking to increase the number of qualified students in the STEM disciplines.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.