REU Site: Materials Connection (MacReu R'Side)

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NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This REU Site, funded by the Division of Materials Research, offers undergraduate students experience in research labs that target the preparation, characterization and application of thin-film materials in a wide range of fields including chemical catalysis, electronic devices, and medical implants. The REU students join research groups from chemistry, physics, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, bioengineering and chemical engineering, reflecting the broad importance of thin film materials. Participating students gain hands-on experience in semiconductor cleanroom techniques, spectroscopic materials characterization, and high-resolution imaging. In the participating research labs, they are trained in the preparation of a wide range of thin films. As applicable, they also receive guidance toward transfers from 2-year to 4-year colleges and support toward a successful graduate school application. Opportunities to interact with MacREU alumni and campus leaders provide career perspectives. MacREU is located in the US Metro Area (Riverside/San-Bernardino) that has the lowest fraction of college graduates in the population (according to the 2010 US Census) and focuses on students from the local area, Inland Southern California. Following each MacREU term, the participants present seminars at their home colleges or at scientific conferences. The former are targeted at promoting science and engineering education to their peers and contribute to the recruitment of the next year's cohort. TECHNICAL SUMMARY: This REU Site offers participants hands-on experience in experimental techniques associated with the preparation and characterization of thin film and 2D-materials, as they a play a crucial role in a wide spectrum of technologies, from activating catalysts for crude oil refining to next generation microelectronic devices and medical implants. REU participants are trained in semiconductor cleanroom processing, electron microscopy, and chemical analysis techniques such as Raman and infrared spectroscopy. Through their interaction and weekly seminars, they gain a broad understanding of the importance of thin films in a wide spectrum of industries and potential career pathways. This project also generates quantitative and qualitative measures of the success of the REU site including actionable and unbiased evaluation of its educational concept and effectiveness.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.