NSF REU-Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates site to create "Pathways Opening World Energy Resources" (REU - POWER)

该奖项为本科生建立了一个新的研究经验网站，以创建“打开世界能源资源的途径”（REU - POWER），该网站位于马萨诸塞州波士顿东北大学。REU-POWER网站将为即将入学的二年级学生、三年级学生和四年级学生提供一个基于夏季的经验，与来自工程学院的教授一起工作，从事与美国国家工程院（NAE）大能源挑战相关的主题研究。特别强调招募代表性不足的少数民族（URM）学生，正因为如此，REU-POWER可以特别创建专业发展计划，解决URM STEM人口的特定障碍。具体而言，REU-POWER将(1)每年为10名符合条件的URM学者提供财务和指导支持；(2)影响有据可证的美国对更多样化能源劳动力的需求；(3)帮助推进研究，使可再生能源、太阳能和清洁能源在社会上更加普及，以帮助解决NAE能源大挑战。REU-POWER模式的成功将传播给其他机构效仿。REU-POWER网站的其他独特之处还包括：1)为所有参与者提供可再生能源实验室的实践短期课程；2)正式的导师培训，包括指导URM工程专业学生的教育模块；3)广泛的专业发展研讨会；4)正式的研究培训，包括每日反思日志，海报展示和与一名教师一起撰写研究摘要的技术写作；5)从已经表示对能源事业感兴趣的极具天赋的URM学生中招聘。REU-POWER网站的主要目标是激发和吸引本科生从事能源领域的职业，无论是在研究实验室，工业还是继续在研究生院学习。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award establishes a new Research Experiences for Undergraduates site to create "Pathways Opening World Energy Resources" (REU - POWER), located at Northeastern University, Boston MA. The REU-POWER site will provide rising sophomores, juniors and seniors with a summer-based experience working with professors from across the College of Engineering, engaged in research on topics pertaining to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) Grand Energy Challenge. There is special emphasis on the recruitment of underrepresented minority (URM) students, and because of this, REU-POWER can particularly create professional development programs that address particular barriers of URM STEM populations. Specifically, REU-POWER will (1) provide annual financial and mentoring support for 10 qualified URM scholars; (2) impact the well-documented U.S. national need for a more diverse energy workforce; and (3) help advance research to make renewable, solar and clean energy more prevalent in society, to help solve the NAE Grand Energy Challenges. The success of the REU-POWER model will be disseminated to other institutions to follow. Other unique aspects of the REU-POWER site includes the development of: 1) hands-on short courses with experimental renewable energy labs for all participants; 2) formal mentor training that includes educational modules for mentoring URM engineering students; 3) extensive professional development seminars; 4) formal research training including daily reflection journals, poster presentations and technical writing of a research digest with a faculty member; and 5) recruitment from a unique pool of highly talented URM students that have already expressed interest in energy careers. A primary goal of the REU-POWER site is to excite and engage undergraduate students to pursue careers in the energy field, whether in research labs, industry or to continue their studies in graduate school.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.