REU Site: Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems

气候变化是美国在世纪面临的主要挑战之一。碳排放作为一种主要的催化剂，在很大程度上是交通系统的建设、维护和运营的结果。在NSF工程教育和中心部门的支持下，该奖项在特拉华州大学建立了可持续弹性交通系统的REU网站，这将有助于最先进的技术和设计方法，有可能减少碳排放，从而帮助应对气候变化。该网站将举办一个多元化的本科研究人员群体，他们将从事电动和自动驾驶汽车的跨学科研究计划;绿色建筑材料和结构;以及弹性基础设施。通过实现低碳足迹的交通系统，REU网站有助于改善全球经济繁荣，我们星球上的居民的安全和未来的发展。在REU现场提供的培训将有助于培养一支能够应对21世纪复杂工程挑战的多元化STEM劳动力，提高美国在全球范围内的竞争力。这个独特的计划为学生提供可持续弹性运输系统的研究经验;培养学生的实验，定量分析和沟通技能;培养学生对跨学科合作的欣赏，追求研究生学位和运输相关领域的职业生涯;并增加运输劳动力的多样性。 这是通过学生参与个人和群体的经验来实现的。个人经验将促进学生从依赖到独立的研究人员在他们的实验室状态的过渡，通过与REU网站教师顾问进行个性化的指导学生。队列经验旨在加强学生在可持续弹性交通系统的智力重点，支持学生的研究技能的发展，并鼓励学生之间的沟通和合作。预计这项工作将有助于为在STEM中代表性不足的学生开发更多样化的工程项目，并为获得研究经验有限的学生提供机会。这一未得到充分服务的人群在最需要创新和创造力的领域为社会带来了巨大的潜在利益。该奖项反映了NSF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。

Climate change is one of the major challenges that the U.S. faces in the 21st century. Carbon emissions, as a major catalyst, are in great part a result of construction, maintenance, and operation of transportation systems. With support from the NSF Division of Engineering Education and Centers, this award establishes the REU Site in Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems at the University of Delaware which will contribute to the state-of-the-art technologies and design methodologies with a potential to reduce carbon emissions and, consequently, help address climate change. The site will host a diverse cohort of undergraduate researchers who will engage in interdisciplinary research programs in electric and autonomous vehicles; green construction materials and structures; and resilient infrastructure. By enabling low-carbon footprint transportation systems, the REU site contributes towards improved global economic prosperity, the safety of our planet’s residents, and future development. Training provided at the REU site will help develop a diverse STEM workforce capable of tackling the complex engineering challenges of the 21st century, improving the U.S. competitiveness at the global level. This unique program provides students with research experiences in sustainable resilient transportation systems; develops students’ experimental, quantitative analysis, and communication skills; fosters student appreciation of interdisciplinary collaborations, the pursuit of graduate degrees and careers in transportation-related fields; and increases the diversity of the transportation workforce. This is accomplished by the students participating in individual and cohort experiences. Individual experiences will promote students’ transition from dependent to independent researcher status in their laboratory by engaging students in personalized mentoring with REU Site faculty advisors. Cohort experiences are designed to strengthen students’ intellectual focus in Sustainable Resilient Transportation Systems, support the development of students’ research skills, and encourage student-student communication and collaboration. It is anticipated that this work will contribute to the development of more diverse engineering programs for students underrepresented in STEM as well as provide opportunities for students that have limited access to research experiences. This underserved population presents a significant potential benefit to society in areas in which innovation and creativity are most needed.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.