REU Site: Fluid Mechanics with Analysis using Computations and Experiments (FM-ACE)

拟议的活动将仔细从事和指导至少26名学生在三个夏天从2014年至2016年在令人兴奋的和新兴的领域与流体力学有关的最终目标，提出他们的研究在全国会议。该计划的这一组成部分作为一个重要的后续机制，以进一步鼓励REU参与者进行研究生学习，并通过激励学生和导师获得高质量的研究成果，为网站的成功做出贡献。其他重要目标包括提供一个培养研究和技术交流技能的结构。 该计划的智力价值在于当前需要在一系列工程学科中进行流体力学的基础和应用研究，以及在最先进的实验室环境中培养本科生。至少有八名教师将担任研究导师，学生将为项目做出贡献，包括作为采样，粒子图像测速（PIV）生物启发边界层控制机制的调查，使用彩色纹影系统的燃烧研究，以及磁性流体的检查癌症治疗。该计划为每个学生提供了一个结构化的计划，以在每年秋季举行的美国物理学会流体动力学分部（APS DFD）会议上展示他们的工作。在过去的六个夏天，在以前的网站，98%的参与者提出了一个摘要在APS DFD。对该计划的评估导致网站不断改进，特别是研讨会和沟通技巧讲习班-最近的一次是让学生编写一个关于他们研究项目的三分钟视频，供网上发布。 该计划的更广泛的影响包括加强和多样化的学生考虑在工程/科学的研究生涯池。该方案纳入了一项积极的招聘计划，以吸引有才华的女性和其他代表性不足的群体。过去的努力导致人口统计数据，其中包括22名妇女，4名西班牙裔和2名非洲裔美国人的51名学生（43%的妇女，28/51或55%来自代表性不足的群体）。此外，2013年还有一名陆军老兵参加。最初的目标，这是超过了以前的网站，仍然是每年至少有一半的学生参加是来自代表性不足的群体。到目前为止，超过50%的过去的参与者已经进入研究生院。拟议的REU计划不仅将推进流体力学新研究领域的知识，还将培养一批多样化和受过高等教育的工程研究人员进入美国劳动力市场。更新网站的一个新目标是从STEM领域研究有限的大学招募至少一半的学生。非技术性总结该奖项资助了一个本科生研究体验网站，该网站将在2014-2016年每年夏季运行10周。 该计划是在亚拉巴马大学的艾米·朗博士的指导下进行的，每年夏天将有大约9名学生参加与工程流体力学相关的研究。 学生将由来自工程学院航空航天，机械和化学生物工程系的八名教师之一指导。 这些项目的范围从研究蝴蝶鳞片如何提高潜在生物启发设计的飞行效率，到燃烧研究，以全面提高燃气涡轮机发动机和汽车的燃料效率。 该网站还通过一系列每周研讨会培养学生的口头和书面沟通技巧。 研究成果的交流是一个高素质的工程研究人员的关键技能。 此外，这个网站是独一无二的，因为它最终在每个学生提交摘要，并在每年11月举行的美国物理学会流体动力学会议分部介绍。 这是一个由2000多名专业人士和学生参加的国际会议，他们将展示他们在流体动力学领域的工作。 作为一个团体，学生们在与艾米·朗博士和随行的研究生一起度过夏季后参加了11月的会议。 总的来说，这种经验提供了一个机会，有前途的本科生进行研究，因为他们会在研究生院的经验，并因此，激励学生追求工程的高级学位。超过50%的过去的参与者已经进入研究生院（如麻省理工学院，格鲁吉亚理工学院和斯坦福大学）。 从代表性不足的群体中招收学生也是一个目标，主要重点是工程专业的妇女（在过去的地点，40%以上是妇女，大约55%来自代表性不足的群体，包括西班牙裔和非洲裔美国人）。 这个新网站的目标还包括从研究机会有限的大学（例如马萨诸塞州的史密斯学院）招募人才。

TECHNICAL SUMMARYThe proposed activity will carefully engage and mentor at least 26 students over three summers from 2014-2016 in exciting and emerging areas related to fluid mechanics with an end goal of presenting their research at a national conference. This component of the program acts as an important follow-through mechanism to further encourage REU participants to pursue graduate studies and contributes to the success of the site by motivating both the student and mentors to obtain quality research results. Other important objectives include providing a structure wherein research and technical communication skills are cultivated. The intellectual merit of the program resides in the current need for basic and applied research in fluid mechanics across a range of engineering disciplines as well as the training of undergraduate students in state-of-the-art laboratory environments. At least eight faculty will act as research mentors and students will contribute to projects that include, as a sampling, particle image velocimetry (PIV) investigations of bio-inspired boundary layer control mechanisms, combustion studies using a color schlieren system, and the examination of magnetic fluids for cancer treatment. This program provides a structured plan for each student to present their work at the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics (APS DFD) Meeting held each fall. Over the past six summers during the previous site, 98% of participants presented an abstract at APS DFD. Assessment of the program has resulted in continuous improvement to the site and, especially, to the seminars and communication skills workshops -- the latest involves having the students compile a three-minute video about their research project for web posting. The broader impacts of the program include enhancing and diversifying the pool of students considering a research career in engineering/sciences. The program incorporates an aggressive recruitment plan for attracting talented female and other underrepresented groups. Past efforts resulted in demographics that included 22 women, 4 Hispanics and 2 African Americans out of 51 students (43% women, and 28/51 or 55% from underrepresented groups). In addition, one Army veteran also participated in 2013. The original target, which was surpassed in the previous sites, was and still is to have at least half of the students participating each year to be from underrepresented groups. To-date, over 50% of past participants have entered graduate school. The proposed REU program will not only advance knowledge in new research areas within fluid mechanics, but will also train a group of diverse and highly-educated engineering researchers into the US workforce. A new goal of the renewal site is to recruit at least half from colleges where research in STEM areas is limited.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis award funds a Research Experience for Undergraduates site that will run for 10 weeks each summer from 2014-2016. The program is under the direction of Dr. Amy Lang at the University of Alabama and will engage approximately nine students each summer in research related to engineering fluid mechanics. Students will be mentored by one of eight faculty from Aerospace, Mechanical and Chemical & Biological Engineering departments within the College of Engineering. These projects range from the study of how butterfly scales improve flight efficiency for potential bio-inspired designs to combustion studies for overall improvement in fuel efficiency for gas turbine engines and automobiles. The site also cultivates the oral and written communication skills of the students through a series of weekly workshops. Communication of research results is a key skill for a high quality researcher in engineering. Also, this site is unique in that it culminates in each student submitting an abstract and presenting at the American Physical Society Division of Fluid Dynamics meeting held each November. This is an international conference of over 2000 professionals and students presenting their work in the field of fluid dynamics. As a group the students attend the conference in November after their summer experience with Dr. Amy Lang and accompanying graduate students. Overall, this experience provides an opportunity for promising undergraduates to perform research as they would experience in graduate school, and, thus, motivates students to pursue advanced degrees in engineering. Over 50% of past participants have enrolled in graduate school (such as MIT, Georgia Tech and Stanford). Recruitment of students from underrepresented groups is also a goal, with the primary focus being that of women in engineering (over 40% were women in past sites, about 55% were from underrepresented groups when including Hispanics and African Americans). This new site also has the goal of recruiting from colleges where research opportunities are limited, such as Smith College in Massachusetts.