REU Site: Plastic Recycling and Advanced Chemical-physical Transformations for Improved Circular Economy (PRACTICE-REU)

2019年，美国4400万吨塑料垃圾中只有5%被回收，86%最终被填埋。从废物中回收有用塑料的机会很多，但仍然存在巨大的挑战。以塑料回收为重点，REU网站：纽约州立大学布法罗的塑料回收和先进的化学物理转化，以改善循环经济（PRACTICE-REU）将吸引本科研究人员来解决全球塑料污染问题。PRACTICE-REU参与者将开展研究，促进塑料废物识别，促进塑料回收和升级，并解决塑料废物对环境和健康的影响。PRACTICE-REU计划旨在向本科生介绍研究，并为他们在科学和工程领域的职业生涯做好准备。研究经验将得到培训讲习班和专业网络机会的补充。社区服务项目将提供社会影响的具体证据。PRACTICE-REU计划将共同努力招募非传统的研究生，包括代表性不足的少数民族，来自研究机会有限的大学的学生和女学生。 除了人力资源开发外，PRACTICE-REU计划还开展基础研究，以促进塑料废物的减少和增值。这些都是对美国和地球仪很重要的话题。减少塑料废物的主题是通过改善环境，健康和经济来实现社会效益的潜力。REU网站：纽约州立大学布法罗分校的塑料回收和先进的化学物理转化促进循环经济（PRACTICE-REU）将培训本科研究人员，以解决三个主题内的全球塑料污染问题：塑料废物识别，塑料回收和升级，以及塑料废物对环境和健康的影响。以实验室为重点的项目将为学生提供信心，创造力和独立性。REU队列的每周小组会议将促进学生与学生的沟通，并与培训研讨会和专业或社交网络的机会。最后的研究研讨会，以及支持后REU会议的演讲和出版物，将帮助学生磨练他们的沟通技巧。一系列评估活动将支持不断改进PRACTICE-REU网站。PRACTICE-REU计划旨在向学生介绍研究，并为他们在科学和工程领域的职业生涯做好准备。 PRACTICE-REU学生将与经验丰富的研究人员导师配对，进行变革性的塑料回收研究。高度跨学科的PRACTICE-REU研究项目将工程和科学相结合，以解决塑料回收问题，例如识别各种类型的塑料以促进其分类，从异质混合物中回收特定类型的塑料，或量化人类暴露和微塑料的健康风险。学生和教师参与者将通过会议演讲和同行评议的出版物传播研究成果，扩大知识进步的机会。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

Only 5% of the 44 million tons of plastic waste was recycled in the US in 2019, with 86% ending up in landfills. Opportunities abound in recovering useful plastic from waste however, great challenges remain. With a focus on plastic recycling, the REU Site: Plastic Recycling and Advanced Chemical-physical Transformations for Improved Circular Economy (PRACTICE-REU) at SUNY Buffalo will engage undergraduate researchers to tackle the global plastic pollution problem. PRACTICE-REU participants will carry out research that advances plastic waste identification, facilitates plastic recycling and upcycling, and addresses environment and health impacts of plastic waste. The PRACTICE-REU program is structured to introduce undergraduate students to research and prepare them for fulfilling careers in science and engineering. The research experience will be complemented by training workshops and professional networking opportunities. A community service project will provide concrete evidence of societal impact. The PRACTICE-REU program will make a concerted effort to recruit non-traditional research students, including underrepresented minorities, students from universities with limited research opportunities, and female students. In addition to the development of human resources, the PRACTICE-REU program pursues fundamental research that promotes the reduction and valorization of plastic waste. These are topics important to the United States and the globe. Inherent with the main theme of plastic waste reduction is the potential for societal benefits through improvements to the environment, health, and economy. The REU Site: Plastic Recycling and Advanced Chemical-physical Transformations for Improved Circular Economy (PRACTICE-REU) at SUNY Buffalo will train undergraduate researchers to address global plastic pollution concerns within three themes: plastic waste identification, plastic recycling and upcycling, and environment and health impacts of plastic waste. Laboratory-focused projects will provide students with confidence, creativity, and independence. Weekly group meetings of the REU cohort will foster student-student communication in conjunction with training workshops and professional or social networking opportunities. A concluding Research Symposium, as well as support for post-REU conference presentations and publications, will help students hone their communication skills. A portfolio of assessment activities will support the continuous improvement of the PRACTICE-REU site. The PRACTICE-REU program is structured to both introduce students to research and prepare them for careers in science and engineering fields. PRACTICE-REU students will be paired with experienced researcher mentors to conduct transformative plastic recycling research. Research projects in the highly interdisciplinary PRACTICE-REU integrate engineering and science to solve plastic recycling issues such as the identification of various types of plastic to facilitate their sortation, recovery of specific types of plastic from a heterogeneous mixture, or quantification of human exposure and health risks of microplastics. Students and faculty participants will disseminate research results through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications, expanding opportunities for knowledge advancement.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.