REU Site: A Convergent Approach on Traineeship Towards Realizing H2 Economy

这个新的本科生研究体验（REU）网站将在清洁能源工程中心（C2 E2）和康涅狄格大学（UCONN）工程学院启动一个有凝聚力的计划，以吸引有才华的少数民族和代表性不足的本科生参与氢（H2）技术的研究。该计划将为多样化的本科生群体提供参与研究的机会，以推进解决国家在H2生产，储存和利用方面面临的新挑战所需的多学科方法，以实现可持续能源的未来。C2 E2与各种学术和工业合作伙伴合作，将建立和投资于年轻工程师的培训，并为他们提供必要的工具，以实现社会向H2经济的过渡。来自工程学院和法学院的十多名教师将提供综合教育，培训和实践跨学科研究的机会，激发学生对未来工程师的杰出STEM劳动力的想象力。这个为期三年的跨学科REU网站将指导和培训H2相关技术的30名本科生。学生将直接参与研究，为解决H2技术发展中的挑战做出明确贡献。REU网站的两个独特元素是工业合作伙伴的积极参与以及环境政策和法律的整合。该REU网站的核心目标是：（一）提高科学家和工程师的数量和质量，以应对H2技术的挑战;（二）增加来自代表性不足的人口，包括少数民族的学生人数，以追求研究生教育和H2相关领域的学术或工业研究职业;和（iii）与少数民族服务机构和方案建立联盟，使代表性不足的学生能够成为H2相关领域的领导者。除了积极的研究项目，学生将参加职业发展研讨会，这将涉及氢技术的基础和技术方面，环境政策和法律以及现实世界的工业实践。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得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的支持。

This new Research Experience for Undergraduate Students (REU) Site will initiate a cohesive program at the Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2) and the School of Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UCONN) to engage talented minority and underrepresented undergraduate participants in research on hydrogen (H2) technologies. The program will offer a diverse cohort of undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in research to advance multidisciplinary approaches needed to address national emerging challenges in H2 production, storage and utilization for the development of a sustainable energy future. C2E2 in collaboration with a diverse group of academic and industrial partners will build and invest into the training of young engineers and provide them with the necessary tools to achieve society’s transition to the H2 economy. More than ten faculty members from various departments at the School of Engineering and the School of Law at UCONN will provide integrated education, training, and hands-on interdisciplinary research opportunities that spark the imagination of students towards an exceptional STEM workforce of future engineers.This three-year interdisciplinary REU Site at UCONN will mentor and train a total of 30 undergraduate students in H2 related technologies. The students will participate directly in research with clear contributions to addressing challenges in development of H2 technologies. Two unique elements of this REU Site are the active engagement of industrial partners and the integration of environmental policy and law. The core objectives of this REU site are: (i) Increase the quantity and quality of scientists and engineers prepared to address challenges on H2 technologies; (ii) Increase the number of students from underrepresented populations including minorities, to pursue graduate education and careers in academic or industrial research in H2 related fields; and (iii) Build alliances with minority-serving institutions and programs to enable a sustainable network of underrepresented students who will become leaders in H2 related fields. In addition to active research projects, students will participate in career development seminars, which will involve fundamentals and technical aspects of H2 technologies, environmental policies and law and real-world industrial practice.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.