REU Site: Plastic Recycling and Advanced Chemical-physical Transformations for Improved Circular Economy (PRACTICE-REU)

2019年，美国4400万吨塑料垃圾中只有5%被回收，其中86%最终被填埋。从废物中回收有用塑料的机会很多，但仍然存在巨大的挑战。以塑料回收为重点，纽约州立大学布法罗分校的REU网站：塑料回收和先进的化学物理转化，以改善循环经济（PRACTICE-REU）将吸引本科生研究人员解决全球塑料污染问题。实践- reu参与者将开展研究，推进塑料废物识别，促进塑料回收和升级利用，并解决塑料废物对环境和健康的影响。PRACTICE-REU课程旨在介绍本科生进行研究，并为他们在科学和工程领域的职业生涯做好准备。研究经验将由培训讲习班和专业网络机会补充。社区服务项目将提供社会影响的具体证据。PRACTICE-REU项目将共同努力招收非传统研究学生，包括代表性不足的少数民族、来自研究机会有限的大学的学生和女学生。除了人力资源的发展，PRACTICE-REU项目还致力于基础研究，以促进塑料废物的减少和增值。这些议题对美国和全球都很重要。减少塑料废物这一主题所固有的是通过改善环境、健康和经济而带来社会效益的潜力。纽约州立大学布法罗分校的REU基地：塑料回收和先进的化学物理转化，以改善循环经济（实践-REU）将培训本科研究人员，在三个主题中解决全球塑料污染问题：塑料废物识别，塑料回收和升级利用，以及塑料废物对环境和健康的影响。以实验室为中心的项目将培养学生的自信心、创造力和独立性。REU学生的每周小组会议将结合培训研讨会和专业或社交网络机会促进学生之间的交流。最后的研究研讨会，以及支持reu会议后的演讲和出版物，将帮助学生磨练他们的沟通技巧。一系列评估活动将支持PRACTICE-REU站点的持续改进。PRACTICE-REU课程旨在向学生介绍研究并为他们在科学和工程领域的职业生涯做好准备。PRACTICE-REU的学生将与经验丰富的研究员导师配对，进行变革性的塑料回收研究。高度跨学科的PRACTICE-REU的研究项目将工程和科学相结合，以解决塑料回收问题，例如识别不同类型的塑料以促进其分类，从异质混合物中回收特定类型的塑料，或定量人体接触微塑料和健康风险。学生和教师参与者将通过会议演讲和同行评审的出版物传播研究成果，扩大知识进步的机会。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。

Only 5% of the 44 million tons of plastic waste was recycled in the US in 2019, with 86% ending up in landfills. Opportunities abound in recovering useful plastic from waste however, great challenges remain. With a focus on plastic recycling, the REU Site: Plastic Recycling and Advanced Chemical-physical Transformations for Improved Circular Economy (PRACTICE-REU) at SUNY Buffalo will engage undergraduate researchers to tackle the global plastic pollution problem. PRACTICE-REU participants will carry out research that advances plastic waste identification, facilitates plastic recycling and upcycling, and addresses environment and health impacts of plastic waste. The PRACTICE-REU program is structured to introduce undergraduate students to research and prepare them for fulfilling careers in science and engineering. The research experience will be complemented by training workshops and professional networking opportunities. A community service project will provide concrete evidence of societal impact. The PRACTICE-REU program will make a concerted effort to recruit non-traditional research students, including underrepresented minorities, students from universities with limited research opportunities, and female students. In addition to the development of human resources, the PRACTICE-REU program pursues fundamental research that promotes the reduction and valorization of plastic waste. These are topics important to the United States and the globe. Inherent with the main theme of plastic waste reduction is the potential for societal benefits through improvements to the environment, health, and economy. The REU Site: Plastic Recycling and Advanced Chemical-physical Transformations for Improved Circular Economy (PRACTICE-REU) at SUNY Buffalo will train undergraduate researchers to address global plastic pollution concerns within three themes: plastic waste identification, plastic recycling and upcycling, and environment and health impacts of plastic waste. Laboratory-focused projects will provide students with confidence, creativity, and independence. Weekly group meetings of the REU cohort will foster student-student communication in conjunction with training workshops and professional or social networking opportunities. A concluding Research Symposium, as well as support for post-REU conference presentations and publications, will help students hone their communication skills. A portfolio of assessment activities will support the continuous improvement of the PRACTICE-REU site. The PRACTICE-REU program is structured to both introduce students to research and prepare them for careers in science and engineering fields. PRACTICE-REU students will be paired with experienced researcher mentors to conduct transformative plastic recycling research. Research projects in the highly interdisciplinary PRACTICE-REU integrate engineering and science to solve plastic recycling issues such as the identification of various types of plastic to facilitate their sortation, recovery of specific types of plastic from a heterogeneous mixture, or quantification of human exposure and health risks of microplastics. Students and faculty participants will disseminate research results through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications, expanding opportunities for knowledge advancement.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.