This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at The University of Tennessee exposes eight science and engineering undergraduates to an intensive summer research experience in the area of synthesis and characterization of advanced functional materials. Undergraduates are assigned a self-contained aspect of a larger research project and l work with graduate students and faculty who belong to the department of Materials Science and Engineering to complete their project. The research projects that the undergraduates participate in allow students to become actively involved in cutting-edge research, have access to state-of-the-art equipment, and interact with senior researchers who enrich their education and help them achieve their full potential.
Disseminating research results is an important aspect of all REU student activities and each student presents his/her work in a formal oral or poster presentation at the end of summer. A series of seminars is held at appropriate times to discuss research skills, technical communications (oral and written), ethical issues, and opportunities for graduate school. Several additional activities are planned to provide opportunities for significant interaction among the students, including site visits to the nearby Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) and the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
This Research Experience for Undergraduate students site was held on the Knoxville campus of the University of Tennessee. Recruitment of qualified minority students from a nationwide search was aggressively pursued through the University's Office of Engineering Diversity Programs, which is part of the College of Engineering. Twenty-six undergraduate students were recruited and participated in an intensive research experience. All students made a poster of their results and presented their work at an undergraduate research symposium. Students participated in pre- and post-surveys which included scales measuring Confidence as a Scientist/Engineer, Confidence in Leading and Working on a Research Team, Identity as a Scientist/Engineer, and their Commitment to Science/Engineering. Since these students self- selected to participate in a Summer Research Experience in Materials Science, it is not surprising that their baseline levels were high in these areas. The students’ scores in all of these areas increased slightly by the end of their research experience. Despite the high baselines, the program positively impacted a few questions more dramatically as demonstrated in the final report. Most noticeably, This cohort entered the program self selected as considering a PhD in the physical sciences or engineering such that 50% of the students had indicated that they were considering a PhD in the physical sciences or engineering at the beginning of the program. This number changed to 62.5% at the end of the program with the other students indicating an interest obtaining an advanced degree (Masters, PhD, or MD) in another area.
