REU Site: Retaining Engineers through Research Entrepreneurship and Advanced-Materials Training

佛罗里达州立大学(FSU)为期三年的REU现场项目将专注于每年培训10名本科生，内容涉及多尺度和多功能先进复合材料的利用、制造和表征。拟议的计划将向参与者介绍创造新技术并将技术推向市场的重要性和回报。该计划将让参与者参与旨在弥合材料工程创新与其市场潜力之间差距的活动。这将通过基于实验室的研究和研讨会相结合的方式实现。研究部分将侧重于多尺度多功能材料的创新开发工作。这种动手体验将使参与者有机会体验他们在实验室中展示的STEM学科的课堂学习。因此，理想的候选人应该已经读完了大三。REU现场计划将首先举办研究方法研讨会；环境、健康和安全研讨会；先进复合材料材料简介；以及研究人员对他们项目的简报。学员将学习如何在每个项目中应用基本的统计方法，包括多因素工程实验的设计和分析。培训研讨会将通过工业及制造工程学系提供统计分析、工程数据分析和实验设计，以及使用现代统计软件包。研讨会的重点是让本科生准备好计划、设计、进行和分析实验，作为他们使用高性能材料进行项目的一部分。这些学生还将通过FSU商学院吉姆·莫兰全球创业研究所(JMI)提供的研讨会来发展他们的商业技能。预计参与者将受到启发，制定一项商业计划，将他们的研究推向市场。这对于说服参与者继续攻读研究生课程至关重要，因为这可能有助于减少研究生研究学位与商业环境没有直接相关性的信念。尽管技术创业和商业化(TEC)研讨会将在项目的前四周举行，但学生将被要求与TEC教师导师讨论他们的进展，以指导他们将产品推向市场。与会者还将前往空军研究实验室(AFRL/RWAV)Eglin AFB，在那里他们将参加关于工程材料在国防中的作用的研讨会。通过这些研讨会，学生们将了解联邦实验室的工程和研究机会。REU网站计划将在EngiPreneur竞赛中达到高潮，在那里，学生们将展示他们将研究成果推向市场的策略。首席调查员(PI)计划以在美国东部和东南部完成STEM本科课程三年级的学生为目标。该计划将鼓励REU学员继续攻读学士学位后进入工业界的工程职业，或继续在材料工程研究方面进行研究生培训。有关REU项目成功的数据将被收集、整理和发布，以支持美国公民和国民工程教育的发展。

The three-year REU Site program at Florida State University (FSU) will focus on training ten undergraduate students each year on the utilization, manufacture, and characterization of multiscale, and multifunctional advanced composites. The proposed program will introduce participants to the importance and rewards of creating novel technologies and moving the technologies into the marketplace. This program will engage the participants in activities that focus on bridging the gap between materials engineering innovations and their market potential. This will be achieved through a combination of lab based research, and seminars. The research component will focus on innovative developmental work in multiscale-multifunctional materials. This hands-on experience will allow the participants the opportunity to experience their classroom learning in the STEM disciplines being manifested in the labs. As such, the ideal candidate would have completed their junior year. The REU Site program will begin with seminars on Research Methodology; Environmental, Health and Safety; an Introduction to Advanced Composites Materials; and briefings by the research faculty on their projects. The participants will learn to apply basic statistical methods, including the design and analysis of multifactor engineering experiments, to each of their projects.The training seminars will be offered through the Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) Department on statistical analysis, engineering data analysis, and experimental design along with the use of modern statistical software packages. The focus of the seminar sessions will be on preparing the undergraduate students to plan, design, conduct, and analyze experiments as part of their projects with high performance materials. The students will also develop their business skills through seminars provided through the Jim Moran Institute (JMI) of Global Entrepreneurship in the College of Business at FSU. The expectation is that the participant will be inspired to develop a business plan for taking their research to market. This will be critical in convincing the participants to continue into graduate programs as it may help reduce the belief that graduate research degrees do not have direct relevance to the business environment. Although the Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization (TEC) seminars will take place during the first four weeks of the program, the students will be required to discuss their progress with the TEC faculty mentor to guide them in getting their product to market. Participants will also travel to the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL/RWAV) Eglin AFB, where they will attend seminars on the role of engineered materials in the defense of our nation. Through these seminars, the students will be made aware of engineering and research opportunities in Federal labs. The REU Site program will culminate with the EngiPreneur Competition where students will showcase their strategy for bringing their research to marketplace. The Principal Investigator (PI) plans to target students who have completed their junior year in STEM undergraduate programs in the Eastern and South Eastern United States. This program will encourage the REU participants to continue post baccalaureate into Engineering careers in industry or continue to postgraduate training in materials engineering research. Data on the success of the REU program will be collected, collated and published to support the growth of engineering education for US citizens and nationals.