REU Site: Engineering the Grid

北卡罗来纳州立大学为期三年的REU现场项目每年将为10名本科生提供机会，从事与能量存储、半导体电力电子、电力子系统、太阳能和光伏系统、与太阳能阵列和半导体电力设备制造相关的加工问题的研究课题。该REU现场计划建立在与第三代工程研究中心(ERC)NSF未来可再生能源输送和管理(FREEDM)系统相关的现有项目基础上。这些项目将提供对能源转换和发电、电网中的电力传输和分配以及与能源有关的直接影响社会的问题的基本了解。每个学生都将直接与一名研究顾问和一名研究生就一个独立的项目进行合作。暑期结束时，所有学生将在北卡罗来纳州夏季研究研讨会上做口头报告，让他们在友好和支持的环境中介绍他们的工作。此外，还将以两周一次的研讨会和实地考察的形式计划开展活动。这些计划活动的目标是：1)为所有REU学生提供安全和动手培训；2)使学生接触到能源相关学科中工程和科学的多学科性质；3)促进与在与电力和能源相关的工业环境中工作的专业人员的互动；4)灌输职业道德、职业规划和职业道德；5)提供公开展示技能的研讨会机会；6)允许参与者在其范围内发现他们的潜力；7)参观研究建筑、电力测试实验室、混合动力汽车和充电平台设施，以及加工实验室设施；8)参加北卡罗来纳州的工业和电力设施、太阳能发电场和核反应堆的实地考察。参与者将在全国范围内招募，重点是招募女性和代表不足的少数族裔学生，以及从本科研究项目暑期机会有限的机构招募。REU SITE计划将有助于在具有国家重要性的领域发展训练有素的多样化劳动力，并提高公众能源素养。

The three-year REU Site program at North Carolina State University will provide 10 undergraduate students each year the opportunity to work on research topics related to energy storage, semiconductor power electronics, electrical sub-systems, solar and photovoltaic systems, processing issues related to fabrication of solar arrays and semiconductor power devices. This REU Site program builds on existing projects related to the Gen 3 Engineering Research Center (ERC) NSF Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems. The projects will provide fundamental understanding of energy conversion and generation, power transport and distribution in the electric grid, and energy-related problems that have a direct impact on society.Each student will work directly with a research advisor and a graduate student on an independent project. At the end of the summer, all students will give oral presentations at the NC State Summer research symposium allowing them to present their work in a friendly and supportive environment. Additionally there will be planned activities in the form of biweekly seminars and field trips. The objectives of these planned activities are to: 1) deliver safety and hands-on training for all REU students; 2) expose the students to the multidisciplinary nature of the engineering and science in energy related disciplines; 3) foster interactions with professionals that work in industrial settings related to power and energy; 4) instill work ethic, career planning and professional ethics; 5) offer workshop opportunities on public presentation skills; 6) allow participants to discover their potential within their boundaries; 7) tour research buildings, power testing laboratory, hybrid car and charging deck facilities, and processing laboratory facilities; and 8) participate in field trips to industrial and power utilities sites, solar farm and the nuclear reactor at NC State.Participants will be recruited nationwide with special emphasis on recruiting women and underrepresented minority students, as well as from institutions that have limited summer opportunities for undergraduate research programs. The REU Site program will contribute to the development of a well-trained diverse workforce in an area of national importance and increase public energy literacy.