REU Site at Kent State University: Liquid Crystals and Advanced Materials

REU网站由国防部与NSF REU计划合作共同资助。该奖项支持由肯特州立大学教授Robert J. Twieg和Torsten Hegmann领导的本科生研究经验（REU）网站。研究中心位于肯特州立大学（KSU）的化学生物化学系和液晶研究所（LCI）。该网站支持的研究项目名为“液晶和先进材料”，将来自全国各地的两年制和四年制机构的学生带到KSU，与KSU学生的当地队列进行互动。导师与这些学生密切合作，因为他们追求涉及先进材料的科学发现，从液晶和软凝聚态物理到生物材料。学生将参与科学过程的各个方面，从项目的设计和执行到研究结果的解释和传播，所有这些都在合作和学院的氛围中进行。早期参与研究经验已被确定为学生参与科学的重要组成部分。提供独特的第一次研究经验是这个REU计划的核心，这将对这群学生产生持久的影响。除了接触到多学科的研究文化，这种经验将创造新的友谊，网络和愿望，将持续很长一段时间后，夏季完成。这个REU计划将直接影响科学的成功和人的成功。这些新科学家的参与将立即提高科学生产力，并在他们发展自己独特的追求时产生更大的长期影响。

The REU Site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. This award supports a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site led by Professors Robert J. Twieg and Torsten Hegmann both at Kent State University. The Site is located in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and the Liquid Crystal Institute (LCI) at Kent State University (KSU). The research projects supported at this Site entitled, "Liquid Crystals and Advanced Materials", brings a diverse group of students from two year and four year institutions in various parts of the country to KSU to interact with a local cohort of KSU students. Mentors work closely with these students as they pursue scientific discovery involving advanced materials from liquid crystals and soft condensed matter physics to biomaterials. The students will participate in all aspects of the scientific process, from design and execution of their project to interpretation and dissemination of research results, all in a cooperative and collegial atmosphere.Early participation in a research experience has been identified as an important component of student engagement in science. The provision of a unique first research experience is at the heart of this REU program, which will have a lasting impact on this group of students. Aside from exposure to a multidisciplinary research culture, this experience will create new friendships, networks, and aspirations that will endure long after the summer is completed. This REU Program will directly impact both science success and people success. There will be immediate science productivity enhanced by the participation of these new scientists and a still larger long-term impact as they evolve into their own distinct pursuits.