REU Site: Engineering Next Generation Energy Processes and Systems

美国（以及发展中国家）能源使用量的增加对能源成本产生了负面影响，有时还导致能源短缺。这些趋势预计将在未来几十年内恶化，因为仅美国的能源使用量预计在未来25年内将增长50%以上。显然，为能源生产和能源系统开发新的和创新的方法将是下一代的一个关键挑战。为了迎接这一挑战，下一代工程师必须学会开发新颖而实用的解决方案来解决能源相关问题。他们必须了解与能源生产相关的关键问题，并学会解决这一领域不熟悉的问题。这将通过开展能源研究来实现。康涅狄格大学的REU网站计划每年将为12名本科生提供机会，对下一代能源过程和系统进行研究。十二名学生中的每一个都将有两名教师导师，他们将帮助指导该项目。除了学生的研究工作，该计划还提供了一系列新颖的研讨会和讲习班，旨在：（1）通过一系列关于“如何做研究”的研讨会，为开展研究提供一个框架，（2）确保学生了解如何以道德的方式开展研究，（3）提高他们对与能源生产有关的许多工业问题的认识;（4）提高他们的书面和口头沟通技能。该计划将以一个小型会议结束，与会者将在会上介绍他们的研究成果。全世界能源利用的持续增加带来了不能再忽视的问题。将需要新的技术解决方案来解决增加的能源生产。此外，还需要不断有训练有素的专业人员提供研究和设计专门知识。通过让本科工程专业的学生参与到一个结构化的项目中，向他们介绍能源发电研究的挑战，该项目有望提供其中的一些专业人员。此外，该计划还将引入研究伦理和通信的重要见解。REU网站计划有五个明确的更广泛的影响。其中包括：（1）学生将进行有意义的研究，为他们各自的问题提供知识，（2）学生将认识到做研究的重要性和复杂性，并在道德上做，（3）在某种程度上，由于这种研究经验，学生将从事研究生工作，（4）该计划将鼓励来自代表性不足的群体的学生参与研究，以及（5）PI将从该计划中开发的想法（特别是涉及“如何做研究”和“研究伦理”）移植到本科生计划中，这样更多的受众将受到影响。

Increased energy usage by the United States (in addition to developing countries) has negatively impacted energy costs and has occasionally led to energy shortages. These trends are expected to worsen in coming decades, as energy usage in the U.S. alone is projected to grow by more than 50% in the next 25 years. Clearly, developing new and innovative approaches to energy generation and energy systems will be a key challenge for the next generation. To meet this challenge, it is critical that the next generation of engineers learn to develop novel, yet practical solutions to energy related problems. They must understand the critical issues related to energy generation and learn to attack unfamiliar problems in this field. This will be accomplished by conducting energy research. This REU Site program at the University of Connecticut will give twelve undergraduates per year an opportunity to conduct research on next generation energy processes and systems. Each of the twelve students will have two faculty mentors, who will help steer the project. In addition to the student's research efforts, this program also provides a series of novel seminars and workshops that are intended: (1) to provide a framework for conducting research through a series of seminars on "how to do research", (2 ) to insure that the students understand how to conduct research ethically, (3) to increase their awareness of the many industry-based problems related to energy generation and (4) to improve their written and oral communication skills. The program will conclude with an end-of-program mini-conference, at which participants will present their research findings. The continued increase in world-wide energy utilization poses problems that can no longer be ignored. New technical solutions will be required to address increased energy generation. Moreover, a continuous stream of trained professionals will be required to provide research and design expertise. By involving undergraduate engineering students in a structured program to introduce them to the challenges in energy generation research, this program expects to provide some of these professionals. Moreover, this program will also introduce important insight into research ethics and communications. The REU site program has five clearly identifiable broader impacts. These include: (1) students will conduct meaningful research that contributes knowledge toward their respective problems, (2) students will appreciate the importance and complexity of doing research and doing it ethically, (3) that, in part, because of this research experience the students will pursue graduate work, (4) that this program will encourage students from underrepresented groups to participate in research, and (5) PIs will port the ideas developed from this program (specifically dealing with "how to do research" and "research ethics") to the undergraduate program, such that a larger audience will be affected.