REU Site: Study of transport phenomena in engineered materials

About This Grant

Transport is an important concept in many STEM fields and serves as the focus of this National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site. Transport phenomena can be described as the flux (or rate at which something is happening) being equal to the driving force (stimulus) divided by the resistance (obstacles). This can be used to describe blood flow through tissues, water permeation through soil, or the transport of electrons through a circuit. In a more abstract sense, the concept can be applied to the trajectory of a research career, wherein the outcomes or accomplishments are a function of intrinsic and extrinsic motivations divided by the obstacles researchers face. This REU site seeks to address obstacles related to the availability of research programs at participants’ home institutions (for instance, community colleges or four-year colleges with limited research infrastructure). The REU provides a driving force through 10-week intensive research experiences to enable growth of these students in research career pathways. REU participants will learn how fundamental engineering principles related to transport phenomena can be applied to significant real-life problems – combining theory and practice to promote curiosity and inspire life-long learning. In addition, training given to REU participant mentors will enhance the undergraduate and graduate research experiences for generations of students to come. The goal of this REU site is to promote careers in engineering research. The objectives of the project are to develop and present projects related to transport phenomena; provide meaningful research experiences for 10 participants annually; engage in comprehensive professional development activities; provide a cohort experience between participants and faculty mentors that stimulates and fosters future pursuits; and provide training on best practices in undergraduate research for faculty mentors. The program will recruit 10 students annually to participate in a 10-week summer program. Activities will include an orientation on multidisciplinary research in engineering; a professional development seminar series (topics include best lab practices, hypotheses development, experimental design, and technical presentations); daily meetings with mentors; and engagement with experts from industry and academia that conduct research and development activities relevant to this program. 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.