REU Site: Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems

气候变化是美国在21世纪面临的主要挑战之一。碳排放作为主要催化剂，在很大程度上是交通系统建设、维护和运营的结果。在NSF工程教育和中心部门的支持下，该奖项在特拉华大学建立了可持续弹性交通系统REU网站，该网站将有助于最先进的技术和设计方法，有可能减少碳排放，从而帮助应对气候变化。该网站将容纳一批不同的本科生研究人员，他们将从事电动汽车和自动驾驶汽车、绿色建筑材料和结构以及弹性基础设施等领域的跨学科研究项目。通过实现低碳足迹运输系统，REU网站为改善全球经济繁荣、保障地球居民的安全和未来发展做出了贡献。在REU现场提供的培训将有助于培养一支多样化的STEM劳动力队伍，能够应对21世纪的复杂工程挑战，提高美国在全球层面的竞争力。这一独特的项目为学生提供可持续的弹性交通系统的研究经验；培养学生的实验、定量分析和沟通技能；培养学生欣赏跨学科合作，追求与交通相关的领域的研究生学位和职业；并增加交通劳动力的多样性。这是通过学生参与个人和队列体验来实现的。个人体验将通过让学生参与REU现场教师顾问的个性化指导，促进学生在实验室从依赖到独立的研究人员身份的转变。队列体验旨在加强学生在可持续弹性交通系统中的智力关注，支持学生研究技能的发展，并鼓励学生与学生之间的交流和合作。预计这项工作将有助于为STEM中代表性不足的学生开发更多样化的工程课程，并为获得研究经验有限的学生提供机会。这些服务不足的人群在最需要创新和创造力的领域为社会带来了巨大的潜在利益。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。

Climate change is one of the major challenges that the U.S. faces in the 21st century. Carbon emissions, as a major catalyst, are in great part a result of construction, maintenance, and operation of transportation systems. With support from the NSF Division of Engineering Education and Centers, this award establishes the REU Site in Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems at the University of Delaware which will contribute to the state-of-the-art technologies and design methodologies with a potential to reduce carbon emissions and, consequently, help address climate change. The site will host a diverse cohort of undergraduate researchers who will engage in interdisciplinary research programs in electric and autonomous vehicles; green construction materials and structures; and resilient infrastructure. By enabling low-carbon footprint transportation systems, the REU site contributes towards improved global economic prosperity, the safety of our planet’s residents, and future development. Training provided at the REU site will help develop a diverse STEM workforce capable of tackling the complex engineering challenges of the 21st century, improving the U.S. competitiveness at the global level. This unique program provides students with research experiences in sustainable resilient transportation systems; develops students’ experimental, quantitative analysis, and communication skills; fosters student appreciation of interdisciplinary collaborations, the pursuit of graduate degrees and careers in transportation-related fields; and increases the diversity of the transportation workforce. This is accomplished by the students participating in individual and cohort experiences. Individual experiences will promote students’ transition from dependent to independent researcher status in their laboratory by engaging students in personalized mentoring with REU Site faculty advisors. Cohort experiences are designed to strengthen students’ intellectual focus in Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems, support the development of students’ research skills, and encourage student-student communication and collaboration. It is anticipated that this work will contribute to the development of more diverse engineering programs for students underrepresented in STEM as well as provide opportunities for students that have limited access to research experiences. This underserved population presents a significant potential benefit to society in areas in which innovation and creativity are most needed.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.