REU Site: A Chemical Engineering Approach to the Materials/Biology Interface

REU网站摘要：材料/生物界面的化学工程方法机构：德克萨斯工程实验站德克萨斯农工大学(TAMU)首席研究员：David M.FordREU奖，为期3年的生物与材料界面研究站点，每年资助10名本科生参加为期8周的暑期研究项目，每年资助1名学生在TAMU学习。该REU网站的目标是：(1)积极招收代表性不足的学生参与；(2)向以前几乎没有研究经验的学生开放新的研究机会，提供对研究方法、自律、团队整合以及报告和交流新知识的见解；(3)提供有关就读研究生院的好处、申请过程的信息，并鼓励学生进入TAMU化学工程研究生院；(4)为REU学生、TAMU研究生和教师导师提供社区建设机会；这项研究的智力价值在于将化学工程的严谨分析方法带到材料/生物界面上的问题上。REU的学生将参与开发关于生物分子和有机体的下一代产品和工艺，培训对象将是化学工程专业的初中生和高年级学生，以及对工程研究生院有兴趣的化学、物理、生物或数学专业的学生。学生将从塔马大学以及历史上的黑人学院和大学(HBCU)、三个西班牙裔服务机构以及学生工程组织，如女性工程师协会(SWE)、全国黑人工程学会(NSBE)、墨西哥裔美国工程师和科学家协会(MAES)和西班牙裔工程学会(SHPE)招收，以确保参与的学生群体多样化。该计划有可能为加强德克萨斯A&A&AMM大学研究和教育基础设施的多样性以及提高非裔美国人和拉美裔工程师和科学家的产量做出重大贡献。该项目为不同人群创建了一个示范项目，解决了本科生接触研究的问题，以及对进入研究生院的途径的认识。

Abstract for REU Site: A Chemical Engineering Approach to the Materials/Biology InterfaceInstitution: Texas Engineering Experiment Station Texas A&M University (TAMU)Principal Investigator: David M. FordThis REU award for a 3 year Site on research at the interface of biology and materials supports 10 undergraduate students per year for three years in an 8-week summer research program and 1 student during the academic year at TAMU. The objectives of this REU Site are to: (1) actively recruit underrepresented students for participation; (2) open new research opportunities to students who have had little or no previous research experience, providing insights into research methodologies, self-discipline, team integration, and reporting and exchanging new knowledge; (3) provide information on benefits of attending graduate school, the application process, and encourage students to attend graduate school in Chemical Engineering at TAMU; (4) provide community building opportunities among REU students, TAMU graduate students and faculty mentors; and (5) provide opportunities for REU students to present and publish with faculty mentors.The intellectual merit of the research is to bring the rigorous analytical approach characteristic of chemical engineering to problems at the materials/biology interface. The REU students will participate in developing the next generation of products and processes on biological molecules and organisms.Recruiting will be targeted at rising junior and senior students in chemical engineering, and from chemistry, physics, biology, or mathematics who express an interest in engineering graduate school. Students will be recruited from TAMU as well as through Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), three Hispanic Serving Institutions and through student engineering organizations such as the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), National Society of Black Engineering (NSBE), Mexican American Engineers and Scientists (MAES) and the Society of Hispanic Engineering (SHPE) to ensure a diverse student population of participants.This program has the potential to make a significant contribution toward enhancing the diversity of research and education infrastructure at Texas A&M University and toward increasing the production of African American and Hispanic engineers and scientists. The project creates a model program for diverse populations that addresses the exposure to research by undergraduates as well as awareness of the pathway to graduate school.