IRES Track I: STEM Advancement through International Learning (SAIL)

波多黎各，巴亚蒙和庞塞泛美大学的STEM国际学习进步（SAIL）计划将让西班牙裔本科生在西班牙马德里康普顿斯大学（西班牙语缩写UCM）材料物理系教师的监督下进行纳米科学研究。SAIL每年将从波多黎各美洲大学（IAUPR）招收六(6)名本科少数民族学生，参加为期9周的研究经验，重点是设计和表征用于电子和光子应用的先进纳米材料。目前，纳米科学和纳米技术被应用于许多公共部门，如交通、医药和能源。然而，纳米技术依赖于新的纳米材料的存在和表征。纳米材料的组成、尺寸、形状和形态的控制是至关重要的，其复杂的功能需要进一步的制备和修饰。因此，设计和研究先进的纳米材料对社会和未来都具有重要意义。SAIL学者将进行指导，高质量的研究活动，并发展管理高性能设备的必要技能。波多黎各美洲大学的两个独立校区，巴亚蒙校区（IAUPR-BC）和庞塞校区（IAUPR-PC）将建立一个合作网络，以支持学生的研究经历。SAIL学者将从事多学科（物理、化学和材料科学）项目，但有一个统一的主题，可以在专家研究人员的指导下进行队列体验。这些项目的成果将产生有助于科学进步的新知识。通过多学科合作研究开发的技能将有助于学生未来的职业和研究机会。这种学习经历的国际和跨学科组成部分超出了波多黎各低收入本科生通常可以获得的内容。IAUPR是一所私立本科院校，99%的学生是西班牙裔，主要是第一代/低收入家庭的学生。拟议的活动将影响STEM中代表性不足的少数群体，促进跨学科研究，并以队列模式促进文化能力。在选拔过程中，将寻求性别平衡，因为西班牙裔女性在STEM社区中的代表性更低。学生将在地区、国家和国际会议上展示他们的研究项目，以提高他们的网络和演讲技巧。校园和国际联盟之间的合作将加强少数民族学生的研究、教育机会和流动性。SAIL项目将通过结合方案活动和传播工作，对IAUPR系统和岛屿产生影响。该项目的预期结果是提高留校率和毕业率，发展本科生的研究和国际技能（STEM的自我效能感），并增加决定攻读研究生课程的学生人数（坚持STEM）。该项目由国际学生研究经验计划和建立计划共同资助，以刺激竞争研究（EPSCoR）。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。

The STEM Advancement through International Learning (SAIL) Program at Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon and Ponce, will expose Hispanic undergraduate students to nanoscience research under the supervision of Material Physics Department faculty from the Complutense University of Madrid (Spanish acronym UCM), Spain. SAIL will recruit six (6) undergraduate minority students per year from Inter American University of Puerto Rico (IAUPR) to participate in a 9-week research experience focusing on the design and characterization of advanced nanomaterials for electronic and photonic applications. Currently, nanoscience and nanotechnology are utilized in many public sectors, such as transportation, medicine, and energy. However, nanotechnology depends on the existence and characterization of new nanomaterials. The control of nanomaterials' composition, size, shape, and morphology are essential, and their complex functions require further advancement in preparation and modification. For this reason, the design and study of advanced nanomaterials are of great importance to society and the future. SAIL Scholars will conduct mentored, high-quality research activities and develop the necessary skills to manage high-performance equipment. Two independent campuses of the Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Bayamon campus (IAUPR-BC) and Ponce campus (IAUPR-PC) will establish a collaborative network to support the students in this research experience. SAIL Scholars will work on multidisciplinary (Physics, Chemistry, and Material Science) projects but with a unifying theme that enables a cohort experience under the mentoring of expert researchers. The results of the projects will generate new knowledge that will contribute to the advancement of science. The skills developed by multidisciplinary collaborative research will help students in their future careers and research opportunities. The international and cross-disciplinary component of this learning experience goes beyond what is ordinarily available to low-income undergraduate students in Puerto Rico. The IAUPR is a private undergraduate institution with 99% Hispanic, primarily first-generation/low-income students. The proposed activities will impact underrepresented minorities in STEM, enabling cross-disciplinary research and promoting cultural competence in a cohort model. A gender balance will be sought during the selection process, as Hispanic women are even more underrepresented in the STEM community. Students will present their research projects at regional, national and international conferences to improve their networking and presentation skills. The collaboration among campuses and the international alliance will strengthen research, education opportunities, and mobility for minority students. The SAIL project will impact the IAUPR system and the Island by combining program activities and dissemination efforts. The anticipated results of the project are an increase in the retention and graduation rates, development of research and international skills for undergraduate students (self-efficacy in STEM) and enhanced the number of students who decide to pursue graduate studies (persistence in STEM).This project is jointly funded by the International Research Experience for Students program and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.