REU Site: Collaborative Research: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Underground Infrastructure

位于科罗拉多州戈尔德市的科罗拉多矿业学院和位于宾夕法尼亚州伯利恒的利哈伊大学和位于加利福尼亚州洛杉矶的加州州立大学分别获得了面向本科生的协作研究体验(REU)网站奖，该奖项的重点是地下基础设施。地下基础设施是指放置在地表下的任何物理基础设施，包括交通、公用事业、建筑基础和任何其他建造在地下的结构。虽然国家的地下基础设施正处于失修的危急状态，但具有更高耐用性和更长使用寿命的创新设计、施工方法和材料将直接导致以更低的成本进行更少的维护，增强弹性，并改善公众的安全。通过这个多站点REU合作奖项，12名本科生将参加每年夏天为期十周的REU项目。这个REU项目的目标是来自美国不同背景和不同地区的合格的理工科学生。通过让学生参与尖端研究，创造了一个鼓舞人心的机会和一个有影响力的计划，以在地下基础设施领域教育和培训未来具有全球竞争力的研究人员。REU的学生将与他们的导师合作，推进基础研究和现场应用，这还将帮助学生找到一组永久的导师，帮助他们追求STEM职业生涯。这一REU计划将增加STEM领域中处于有利地位的学生的多样性。该REU计划的目标是：(A)吸引、吸引和教育在地下建筑和工程研究方面研究活动有限的机构的本科生；(B)结合一系列专业发展活动，提供在最先进的实验室和计算机设施中实践的高质量研究经验；以及(C)激励本科生追求并准备在STEM高级学位中取得成功，重点是女性和少数族裔。该项目的主要成果是高质量的研究和研究能力发展(学生培训)。该项目提供在最先进的实验室和计算设施中实践的高质量研究经验，并结合一系列专业开发活动。该计划通过参与有指导的研究项目来加强学生的学术资历和研究技能，这些项目解决了与现实世界相关的地下基础设施问题。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 collaborative Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Colorado School of Mines, located in Golden, CO, Lehigh University, located in Bethlehem, PA, and California State University, Los Angeles, located in Los Angeles, CA, focuses on Underground Infrastructure. Underground infrastructure refers to any physical infrastructure that is placed beneath the surface, including transportation, utilities, building foundations, and any other structures built underground. While the nation’s underground infrastructure is in critical state of disrepair, innovative design, construction methods, and materials with improved durability and longer service lives would lead directly to less frequent maintenance carried out at lower cost, enhanced resilience, and improved safety for the public. Through this multisite REU collaborative award, twelve undergraduate students will participate in a ten-week REU program each summer. This REU program targets qualified science and engineering students from diverse backgrounds and various regions of the US. By engaging students in cutting-edge research, a stimulating opportunity and an impactful program to educate and train future globally competitive researchers in the underground infrastructure area are created. The REU students will work collaboratively with their mentors to advance fundamental research and field applications, which in addition will help students find a permanent set of mentors to aid in the pursuit of their STEM careers. This REU program will result in an increase in the diversity of well-positioned students in the pipeline to graduate school in a STEM field.The objectives of this REU program are to (a) attract, engage, and educate undergraduate students from institutions that have limited research activities in underground construction and engineering research; (b) offer hands-on high-quality research experience in state-of-the-art laboratory and computing facilities in combination with a series of professional development activities; and (c) motivate undergraduate students to pursue and prepare themselves to succeed in advanced degrees in STEM, with an emphasis on women and minorities. The primary outcomes from the project are high-quality research and research capacity development (student training). The program offers hands-on high-quality research experience in state-of-the-art laboratory and computing facilities in combination with a series of professional development activities. The program strengthens the academic credentials and research skills of students through participation in mentored research projects that address underground infrastructure problems with real-world relevance.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.