REU Site: Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter

非技术摘要：这个REU现场项目为十名对科学和工程感兴趣的本科生提供了高质量的材料研究实践经验。暑假期间，学生参与者将在宾夕法尼亚大学物质结构研究实验室(LRSM)呆上10周。目标学生的参与者是性别、种族和民族多样化的，代表了全国范围广泛的大学，包括社区大学、为少数族裔服务的机构，以及那些研究机会有限的大学。在宾夕法尼亚大学期间，学生们被介绍给材料研究作为一门有凝聚力的学科。学生是附属于LRSM的教职员工研究小组的积极参与者，接受真实的研究和指导经验，类似于同一小组的研究生。除了自己的研究小组，学生们还可以相互社交，参加无数的专业发展研讨会和活动，并了解其他研究领域，以了解他们可以考虑的不同职业道路。总之，通过培训、指导和支持年轻的研究人员，这些经验有助于加强科学和工程方面的管道，同时为最先进的研究做出贡献。技术摘要：这个REU现场项目为十名对科学和工程感兴趣的本科生提供高质量的材料研究实践经验。暑假期间，学生参与者将在宾夕法尼亚大学物质结构研究实验室(LRSM)呆上10周。目标学生的参与者是性别、种族和民族多样化的，代表了全国范围广泛的大学，包括社区大学、为少数族裔服务的机构，以及那些研究机会有限的大学。在宾夕法尼亚大学期间，学生们被介绍给材料研究作为一门有凝聚力的学科。学生是LRSM附属教员研究小组的积极参与者，可以使用最先进的设施进行真实的研究和指导体验，类似于同一小组中的研究生。根据他们的兴趣和教育背景，REU的研究活动范围从合成新聚合物，到探索量子点的光学性质，到测量胶体和乳液等软材料的机械响应，到计算拓扑绝缘体和尚未合成的复合材料的电子能带结构。为了扩展他们的研究经验，学生们参加每周一次的研究研讨会，以吸收一线材料科学和工程知识，并学习以口头和书面报告的形式展示他们的研究成果。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:This REU-Site project provides high-quality, hands-on experience in materials research to a diverse group of ten undergraduates with interest in the sciences and engineering. During the summer, student participants spend 10 weeks at the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM) at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). The targeted student participants are gender, racially, and ethnically diverse, representing a broad spectrum of colleges throughout the nation including community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and those with limited research opportunities. During their time at Penn, students are introduced to materials research as a cohesive subject of study. Students are active participants in research groups of faculty affiliated with the LRSM, receiving authentic research and mentoring experiences similar to those of graduate students in the same groups. Beyond their own research group, students engage with each other socially, participate in numerous professional development workshops and activities, and learn about other fields of research to understand different career paths they could consider. Altogether, the experience helps strengthen the science and engineering pipeline by training, mentoring, and supporting young researchers while simultaneously contributing to state-of-the-art research.TECHNICAL ABSTRACT:This REU-Site project provides high-quality, hands-on experience in materials research to a diverse group of ten undergraduates with interest in the sciences and engineering. During the summer, student participants spend 10 weeks at the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter (LRSM) at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn). The targeted student participants are gender, racially, and ethnically diverse, representing a broad spectrum of colleges throughout the nation including community colleges, minority-serving institutions, and those with limited research opportunities. During their time at Penn, students are introduced to materials research as a cohesive subject of study. Students are active participants in research groups of faculty affiliated with the LRSM, receiving access to state-of-the-art facilities to conduct authentic research and mentoring experiences similar to those of graduate students in the same groups. Depending on their interests and educational background, REU research activities can range from synthesizing new polymers, to probing the optical properties of quantum dots, to measuring mechanical responses of soft materials such as colloids and emulsions, to computing electronic band structures of topological insulators and yet-to-be-synthesized composite materials. To extend their research experience, students participate in a weekly research seminar to absorb front-line materials science and engineering and learn to present their research findings both orally and in a written report.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.