This proposal seeks funding to support travel of student registrants at the 2014 Combustion Institute Spring Technical Meeting from March 16-18, 2014,in Tulsa, Oklahoma, hosted by The Central States Section of the Combustion Institute (CSSCI). The broader objectives of The Combustion Institute focus on discovery, advancement, and application of combustion/fire science and engineering. By participating in the meeting students and student researchers will have the first-hand interaction with experts, as well as peers, in exchange ideas, thus promoting their education, learning, while also fulfill recruitment and retention of students in STEM fields.
This NSF grant provided financial support for students participating in the 2014 Central States Section Spring Technical Meeting of the Combustion Institute (CSSCI). The meeting was held at the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel, OK, March 16–18, 2014. At this meeting participants from academia, National Laboratories, and industry presented their latest research findings. The CSSCI encourages student participation at the meetings since (i) it builds a greater sense of community in the combustion field, and allows students to vest in it professionally, (ii) students have the opportunity to personally meet, interact and present their research findings to scientists, whom they might know through publications only, and (iii) students are able to interact with industrial researchers, and thus, establish a career path in the combustion field. Graduate student participation is especially encouraged here, and this venue is optimal for first time presentations by such students. The audience is supportive and friendly, and yet the top combustion researchers in the field are present and active. The meeting provides an opportunity for students to gain feedback on their research, a presentation for their resume, speaking practice, and valuable networking opportunities. 47 students received the NSF stipend. The NSF award provided travel stipends of $117.02 for 47 students, and the Section provided an additional $100. The meeting was very successful. There were 110 attendees, of which 47 were students. Through NSF support, we were able to keep the registration fees very low (~$125 Member Students and $135 Non-member students), making this meeting very accessible for researchers. Feedback from the meeting was very positive, and students were able to enjoy the presentation sessions, a welcome reception, an evening banquet, plenary sessions, and site tour at the John Zink Hamworthy Combustion Test Facility, all as part of the meeting.
