REU Site: Climate and Sustainability Research in Nanotechnology and Electrochemical Devices for Community College Students

为期三年的更新REU网站项目，“气候和可持续性研究纳米技术和电化学设备的社区大学生”，在赖斯大学将提供十个社区大学生在大休斯敦地区与夏季研究实习每年有关的气候和可持续性的主题。该计划旨在通过从社区学院招募学生，特别是代表性不足的少数民族（URM），参与STEM领域。通过实验室研究经验和教师，博士后和学生导师在赖斯大学的互动，REU参与者将获得接触干研究，应用和职业生涯。参加本科研究经历有利于学生从两年制大学到四年制大学的过渡，并为研究生院和研究职业创造了一条途径。在这个为期十周的计划的学生将参与涉及有关可持续性，能源和水净化的现实世界的应用项目。此外，该计划将提供大量的指导和培训的学生与参与水稻教师，员工和学生的支持，并通过其强大的基础设施，旨在提高多样性和学生的成功。该计划的主要目标之一是通过为那些原本不会考虑STEM研究或职业的学生提供变革性的研究经验来扩大STEM劳动力并使其多样化。“气候和可持续性研究纳米技术和电化学设备的社区大学生”在赖斯大学将介绍十休斯顿-地区社区大学的学生每年气候和可持续性研究，应用，教育，并通过10周的实习和后续支持的职业生涯。这REU将扩大URM学生在干的参与，通过提供研究机会，以社区大学的学生谁可能无法获得国家的最先进的研究设施，杰出的科学家，和积极的导师多样化池。休斯顿的社区学院代表了一个庞大的，多样化的学生群体，其中许多是第一代大学生。这个REU将成为2年制和4年制大学之间的桥梁，并作为那些进入研究生院的管道。此外，通过这个REU，参与者将建立和保持与赖斯教师，工作人员，博士后和格拉德生的指导关系，同时促进赖斯大学和社区学院之间的机构间合作伙伴关系在休斯敦地区。莱斯大学通过广泛的研究设施、跨学科合作和重大突破，确立了自己在纳米技术领域的领导地位。这个REU将为学生提供前沿研究的实验室经验。利用纳米技术和电化学设备，学生将通过三个跨学科的主题来解决气候变化和环境可持续性问题：1）减少温室气体的过程，2）能源储存和管理，以及3）水净化。REU参与者的研究和项目成果将发表在同行评审的期刊上，并在区域和国家会议上发表。此外，项目成果将通过年度海报座谈会和REU网站传播给赖斯大学，社区学院教师，学生和休斯顿地区。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。

The three-year renewal REU Site project, "Climate and Sustainability Research in Nanotechnology and Electrochemical Devices for Community College Students", at Rice University will provide ten community college students in the Greater Houston area with summer research internships each year pertaining to the topics of climate and sustainability. The program aims to engage students, particularly underrepresented minorities (URM), in the STEM fields by recruiting them from community colleges. Through laboratory research experiences and interactions with faculty, post-docs, and student mentors at Rice University, REU participants will gain exposure to STEM research, applications, and careers. Taking part in undergraduate research experiences facilitates the transition for students from two-year to four-year colleges, and creates a pathway to graduate school and research careers. Students in this ten-week program will engage in projects that involve real-world applications pertaining to sustainability, energy, and water purification. Furthermore, the program will offer substantial mentorship and training to the students with the support of the participating Rice faculty, staff, and students and through its strong infrastructure designed to enhance diversity and student success. One of the primary goals of the program is to broaden and diversify the STEM workforce by providing transformative research experiences to students who would not have otherwise considered STEM research or careers.The three-year renewal REU Site project, "Climate and Sustainability Research in Nanotechnology and Electrochemical Devices for Community College Students" at Rice University will introduce ten Houston-area community college students each year to climate and sustainability research, applications, education, and careers through 10-week internships and follow-up support. This REU will broaden the participation of URM students in STEM by providing research opportunities to a diverse pool of community college students who might not otherwise have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, prominent scientists, and proactive mentorship. Houston's community colleges represent a large, diverse group of students, many of whom are first-generation college students. This REU will be a bridge between 2- and 4-year colleges and serve as a pipeline for those entering graduate school. Furthermore, through this REU, participants will build and maintain mentoring relationships with the Rice faculty, staff, postdocs, and grad students while fostering inter-institutional partnerships between Rice University and community colleges in the Houston area. Rice University has established itself as a leader in the field of nanotechnology through extensive research facilities, interdisciplinary collaboration, and significant breakthroughs. This REU will offer students lab experiences in cutting-edge research. Using nanotechnology and electrochemical devices, students will address climate change and environmental sustainability through three interdisciplinary themes: 1) Processes to reduce greenhouse gases, 2) Energy storage and management, and 3) Water purification. REU participant research and program findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at regional and national conferences. Moreover, project outcomes will be disseminated to Rice University, community college faculty, students, and the Houston region through an annual poster colloquium and the REU website.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.