REU Site: Research Experience in Functional Materials for Undergraduates in Chemistry at the University of South Florida

这项本科生研究经验（REU）项目授予位于佛罗里达州坦帕市的南佛罗里达大学，在2024-2026年夏季为8名学生提供为期10周的培训。在这个由化学系资助的项目中，参与者将致力于功能材料的合作研究项目。参与者还将参加一个专业发展和研究伦理培训项目，重点是科学传播、为研究生院和研究事业做准备、知识产权和创业。该网站通过独立的研究项目、研讨会和培训扩大STEM的参与。参与者承担有机、无机、物理、分析和计算化学以及生物化学方面的个人研究项目。这些项目包括催化剂、分子传感器、多功能半导体、拟肽剂、杀虫剂和天然产物的合成和表征；用于隔离污染物的脂质体、用于光收集的金属有机框架材料和用于无溶剂提取的溶胶-凝胶涂层的发展；光开关的光谱特性；以及蛋白质开关和塑料降解酶的计算机模拟。专业发展系列包括关于知识产权和化学创新商业化的讲习班。为了扩大STEM的参与范围，该网站还从少数民族入学率高的学校和没有研究机会的两年制和四年制大学招收学生。本网站部分由半导体研究公司提供给国家科学基金会的资金支持。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，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 the University of South Florida, located in Tampa, FL, supports the training of 8 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants pursue collaborative research projects that focus on functional materials. Participants also take part in a professional development and research ethics training program, with a focus on scientific communication, preparation for graduate school and research careers, intellectual property, and entrepreneurship. This site broadens participation in STEM through independent research projects, workshops, and trainings.Participants undertake individual research projects in organic, inorganic, physical, analytical, and computational chemistry, and biochemistry. These projects include the synthesis and characterization of catalysts, molecular sensors, multifunctional semiconductors, peptidomimetics, insecticides, and natural products; the development of liposomes to sequester pollutants, metal organic framework materials for light harvesting, and sol-gel coatings for solvent-free extractions; the spectroscopic characterization of photoswitches; and computer simulations of protein switches and plastic degrading enzymes. The professional development series includes workshops on intellectual property and commercializing chemical innovations. To broaden participation in STEM, this site also recruits students from schools with high minority enrollments and students at 2- and 4-year colleges without research opportunities.This Site is supported in part by funds provided to the National Science Foundation by the Semiconductor Research Corporation.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.