REU Site: Renewal of Summer Internships in Nanomaterials, Nanomechanics, and Leadership Training in Engineering

这个为期三年的REU项目将为9名有才华的本科生提供在实验室进行研究的机会，弥合科学与工程之间的差距，并为他们提供一流的工程领导力培训。项目招募将针对来自全国范围内广泛的大学的不同群体的参与者，特别是少数民族服务和小型大学没有强大的研究基础设施和经验。将为女性参与者提供为她们量身定制的领导力培训。来自机械工程系、物理系和化学/生物化学系的8名教师和9名研究生将担任导师。研究课题将是理论、计算和/或实验，涉及纳米科学和纳米工程中的简短、具有挑战性、独立的前沿问题。该项目包括研讨会和讲习班，让实习生接触纳米工程和专业发展，强调研究、团队建设、领导能力和研究生学习。补充的社会项目包括参观区域研究和工业设施，以及与其他UA REU项目合作到当地感兴趣的地区的团体郊游。在技术、创新、产品和系统的生命周期内，工程过程及其管理的相互关系将是REU计划的重要组成部分。将审查与技术组织实施有关的管理的基本职能。领导工程团队和技术组织的策略将被探索，特别是因为它们影响个人和组织的生产力和创造力。这个REU网站将建立在以前资助（EEC - 1359086） REU网站的成功基础上，并将重点放在纳米材料，纳米力学和本科学生的领导力培训上。该项目的目标是：1)让本科生有机会进行纳米尺度的科学和工程研究；2)让学生自我评估自己对读研的兴趣；3)增加未来纳米工程专业人才的数量；4)使阿肯色大学费耶特维尔分校（UAF）机械工程系成为并被公认为全国一流的本科和研究生课程，5)使学生成为美国技术驱动组织的未来领导者和管理者。作为为期10周的暑期实习项目的一部分，每年（在这个为期三年的项目中）一个由9名本科生组成的不同小组将在UAF校园进行研究。来自机械工程系、物理系和化学/生物化学系的9名教师（包括PI）和研究生将担任导师。暑期实习生的招聘将集中在五个类别：1)STEM研究机会有限的机构；2)少数民族机构；3)女性;4)残疾人，5)UAF项目。所有参与者将以口头和书面报告的形式展示他们的研究成果，有时会发表科学出版物。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This three-year REU site will provide 9 talented undergraduate students with research opportunities in labs that bridge the gap between science and engineering, and provide them with top-notch leadership training in engineering. Program recruitment will target a diverse group of participants from a broad spectrum of colleges throughout the nation, especially minority-serving and small colleges without strong research infrastructure and experience. Women participants will be provided custom-tailored leadership training specific to them. Eight faculty members and nine graduate students from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry/Biochemistry will serve as mentors. Research topics will be theoretical, computational and/or experimental, involving short, challenging, self-contained, cutting-edge problems in nanoscience and nanoengineering. The program includes seminars and workshops to expose interns to nanoscale engineering as well as professional development, emphasizing research, team building, leadership, and graduate studies. The complementary social program includes tours of regional research and industrial facilities, and group outings to local areas of interest in collaboration with the other UA REU programs. The interrelationships of the engineering process and its management within the life cycles of technology, innovation, products, and systems will be an essential part of the REU program. The basic functions of management relative to their implementation in technical organizations will be examined. Strategies for leading engineering teams and technical organizations will be explored, particularly as they affect individual and organizational productivity and creativity.This REU Site will build on the successes of the previously funded (EEC – 1359086) REU Site and will focus on nanomaterials, nanomechanics, and leadership training of undergraduate students. The project objectives are: 1) to engage undergraduate students with opportunities to conduct nanoscale science and engineering research; 2) to allow students to self-assess their interest in graduate school; 3) to increase the number of future professionals in nanoengineering; 4) to enable the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Arkansas – Fayetteville (UAF) to become, and be recognized as a nationally top tier undergraduate and graduate program, and 5) to equip students to become future leaders and managers of technology driven organizations in the United States. Each year (of the three year project) a different group of nine undergraduate students will conduct research at the UAF campus as part of this ten-week summer internship program. Nine faculty members (including the PI) and graduate students from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering, Physics, and Chemistry/Biochemistry will serve as mentors. Recruitment of summer interns will concentrate on five groups: 1) institutions where research opportunities in STEM are limited; 2) minority institutions; 3) women; 4) persons with disabilities, and 5) UAF programs. All participants will present their research findings both orally and in a written report, sometimes leading to scientific publications.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.