REU Site: Growing Entrepreneurially-Minded Undergraduate Researchers with New Product Development in Applied Energy

该项目的目标是为代表性不足的工程和工程技术专业的学生提供研究经验，将学术应用研究的最佳方面（如强大的理论基础和严谨的奖学金）与基本的商业实践（如真实世界的客户发现和合理的商业计划的生成）相结合。这个REU网站项目是独一无二的，因为它提供了一个奖学金整合，应用能源研究经验，在美国中西部。专注于企业整合将带来新的产品开发技能，包括客户发现和商业模式验证。在暑期课程结束时，学生们将“走出大楼”，进行最低数量的客户发现访谈，作为商业化过程的第一步。客户发现过程将帮助学生建立第一手的应用能源研究的动机。应用能源研究的集中背后的意图支持NSF的使命，以促进科学的进步。第一，能源生产和分配方法在过去几年中迅速发展。由大型发电机进行的大宗能源生产正在得到小规模能源生产的补充，当地房主是智能电网技术和智能能源生产和分配技术的最大受益者。然而，参与者数量的增加、电力生产的变化以及潜在的不良行为者对能源基础设施构成了挑战和风险，导致电网成本增加。所有五个REU项目都旨在应对这些挑战和风险。这种REU经验将使学生能够培养创业思维，增强他们的研究工具箱和技能。该项目将招收初级和高级工程和工程技术学生，特别注重从部落学院和大学（TCU），历史上的黑人学院和大学（HBCU）和西班牙裔服务机构（HSI）招收学生。预期的影响是双重的。首先，是30名代表性不足的少数民族（URM）本科生（跨越三年）的专业发展，包括应用能源研究和具有商业头脑的新产品开发。第二，是专业发展的质量，更好地准备学生进入行业或学术界，完成学位后。智力贡献包括在应用能源新产品开发中建立知识。拟议的能源研究项目将支持联合国可持续发展目标和国家工程院的广泛倡议。通过更广泛的影响，该项目将通过对传统上在STEM中代表性不足的30名本科生的直接影响为社会做出贡献。此外，学生研究体验的新产品开发部分将为学院驱动的研究议程（以及随后的创业活动）提供信息，从而提高应用研究计划的质量和客户关注度。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The goal of this project is to provide underrepresented engineering and engineering technology students with a research experience that combines the best aspects of academic applied research, such as strong theory basis and rigorous scholarship, with essential business practices such as real-world customer discovery and the generation of sound business plans. This REU Site project is unique in that it offers an entrepreneurship-integrated, applied energy research experience in the Midwest United States. The concentration on entrepreneurship-integration will lead to new product development skillsets including customer discovery and business model validation. By the end of the summer program, students are expected to “get out of the building” and conduct a minimum quantity of customer discovery interviews, as the first step in the commercialization process. The customer discovery process will assist students in establishing the motivation for applied energy research first-hand. The intentions behind the concentration on applied energy research supports NSF’s mission to promote the progress of science. First, energy generation and distribution methods have been evolving rapidly over the last few years. Bulk energy production done by large-scale energy generators is being complemented by small-scale energy production, where local homeowners are the greatest beneficiaries of smart grid technology and smart energy generation and distribution techniques. However, the increased number of players, variability in electricity production, and potential for bad actors poses challenges and risks to the energy infrastructure resulting in increased costs to the grid. All five REU projects are aimed to combat these challenges and risks.This REU experience will empower students to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, enhancing their research toolbox and skillset. The project will recruit junior and senior level engineering and engineering technology students with a particular focus on recruiting students from Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs). The intended impact is twofold. First, is the professional development of 30 underrepresented minority (URM) undergraduate students (across three years) in an experience that encapsulates both applied energy research and entrepreneurially-minded new product development. Second, is the quality of professional development in better preparing students to enter industry or academia, upon completion of the degree. The intellectual contributions involve building knowledge within applied energy new product development. The proposed energy research projects will support the broad initiatives of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and National Academy of Engineering. Via the broader impacts, this project will contribute to society through a direct impact on 30 undergraduates traditionally underrepresented in STEM. In addition, the new product development component of the student research experience will inform the faculty-driven research agenda (and subsequent entrepreneurial activities), thus improving the quality and customer focus of the applied research initiatives.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.