REU Site: Enhancing Knowledge Integration Through Undergraduate Research -- Particle-based Functional Materials for Energy, Sustainability, and Biomedicine

今天的进步不是孤立地发生的，而是发生在两种或两种以上技术的交汇处。在生物医学、可持续发展和能源领域尤其如此。匹兹堡大学这个为期三年的续订网站：通过本科生研究加强知识整合-基于粒子的功能材料，用于能源、可持续发展和生物医学，重点是对因其颗粒性或粒子对结构的影响而实现特定功能的材料进行计算和实验研究。这类系统包括：材料自我修复、治疗药物的受控输送、“智能”催化和颗粒分离。该计划的主要目标人群包括主要来自本科院校的学生和来自代表性不足群体的学生。这个REU网站的更广泛的影响将在于整合教学和研究，培养本科生，同时进行有益于整个社会的多样化研究。这个为期10周的暑期项目的目标是1)每年培训12名本科生进行独立研究；2)提高学生整合知识的能力；3)培养更好地准备参与产品设计过程的REU学生。这是通过将REU网站的传统研究与量身定做的研讨会系列、翻译练习和创新的“交叉培训”实习相结合来实现的。

Today's advances don't happen in isolation, but instead occur at the intersections of two or more technologies. This is especially true in biomedicine, sustainability, and energy. The focus of this three year renewal REU Site: Enhancing Knowledge Integration Through Undergraduate Research-Particle-based Functional Materials for Energy, Sustainability, and Biomedicine, at the University of Pittsburgh, is comprised of computational and experimental studies of materials that fulfill a specific function either because of their particulate nature or due to the influence of particles on structure. Such systems include: material self-healing, controlled delivery of therapeutics, "smart" catalysis and particle separations. The primary target populations for this program include students from primarily undergraduate institutions and students from underrepresented groups. The broader impacts of this REU Site will lie in integrating teaching and research, and training of undergraduate students while at the same time performing diverse research that will be beneficial to society at large. The goals of this 10 week summer program are to 1) train 12 undergraduate students per year to perform independent research; 2) increase the students' ability to integrate knowledge; and 3) produce REU students that are better equipped to participate in the product design process. This is accomplished by combining the traditional research of an REU site with a tailored workshop series, a translation exercise, and an innovating "cross-training" internship.