REU Site: Smart Polymer Composite Materials and Structures

本科生（REU）网站授予路易斯安那州州立大学，位于巴吞鲁日，洛杉矶，支持8名学生在2021年至2024年的夏天10周的培训。在这个程序，由化学部资助，参与者将追求化学，机械工程和建筑的跨学科研究项目。学生将由教师指导，并通过与研究生和博士后密切合作获得实践经验。参与者还将接受专业发展和道德培训，重点是研究和科学沟通技能和研究生院。通过独立的研究项目，研讨会和系列研讨会，该网站致力于扩大参与，并为研究生院和未来的STEM职业做好准备。本科研究生在这个网站将承担跨科学和工程的研究项目，集中在智能聚合物复合材料和结构。计划的项目包括智能聚合物复合材料的设计，合成，建模和表征，具有传感，驱动，愈合和适应能力。此外，学生将参加每周会议，研究设施图尔斯之旅，并就包括研究伦理和海报设计主题的研讨会系列。计划举办社交和文化交流活动，以促进未来多元化STEM领导者群体的包容性和建立联系的机会。学生将在全校范围的夏季研究论坛上向广大学生，教师和工作人员传达他们的研究成果。该网站旨在吸引不同的群体，重点是从HBCUs或其他少数民族服务机构招募。该奖项反映了NSF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 Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Louisiana State University, located in Baton Rouge, LA, supports the training of 8 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2021-2024. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants will pursue interdisciplinary research projects in chemistry, mechanical engineering, and architecture. Students will be mentored by faculty and gain hands-on experience by working closely with graduate students and postdocs. Participants also will receive professional development and ethics training, focusing on research and scientific communication skills and graduate school. Through independent research projects, workshops, and a seminar series, this site strives to broaden participation and prepare students for graduate school and future STEM careers. Undergraduate research students at this site will undertake research projects across science and engineering, concentrated on smart polymer composite materials and structures. Planned projects include the design, synthesis, modeling, and characterization of smart polymer composites with sensing, actuating, healing, and adapting capabilities. Additionally, students will engage in weekly meetings, research facility tours, and a workshop series on topics including research ethics and poster design. Social and cultural exchange events are planned to promote inclusivity and networking opportunities for a diverse group of future STEM leaders. Students will communicate their research findings to a broad audience of students, faculty, and staff at a university-wide summer research forum. This site aims to attract diverse cohorts with an emphasis on recruiting from HBCUs or other minority-serving institutions.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.