REU Site: Students Transforming Energy and Environmental Research (STEER)

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This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Virginia Tech University, located in Blacksburg, VA, supports the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2023-2025. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants pursue collaborative research projects with an emphasis on energy and the environment but also participate in integrated educational programming in scientific communication, leadership, and cultural competence. Administered by the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Tech, the summer REU site, Students Transforming Energy and Environmental Research (STEER), brings selected undergraduate students together with faculty and graduate student mentors to specifically engage in research projects that address the societal challenges and objectives associated with global warming and climate change. Students will conduct research with diverse investigators who are at the forefront of their fields, which include batteries, solar fuels, water purification, mineral sequestration, catalysis, and sustainability. They will learn and perform chemical synthesis techniques to prepare novel materials of particular value in those fields, along with the means of characterizing the materials and evaluating their suitability for the intended application. We will leverage University partners and experts in scientific communication, leadership, DEIR (diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect), career development training, grantsmanship, and community outreach for the REU students’ development as chemical science professionals. STEER's primary objective is to produce community-minded scientists to lead innovation through strong disciplinary knowledge while demonstrating respect for the diverse lived experiences within our society and a commitment to educational outreach to the public.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.