This award from the Division of Chemistry (CHE) and the Department of Defense (ASSURE Program) supports a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site led by Stephen L. Craig at Duke University. The research projects supported in this site are in the areas of so-called smart molecules and materials. All undergraduates will be recruited to this site from outside of Duke University, with emphasis on recruitment of students from groups that are underrepresented in the sciences. The site will support ten students per summer in a ten week program. A sample of the projects that undergraduates would work on include: (1) the synthesis and incorporation of self-healing polymers into biomedical polymer nanocomposites for use as prosthetic implants; (2) the study of biomolecules under applied mechanical tension; (3) the study of cluster-forming crystals that assemble from dense solutions of soft particles; (4) the development of self-assembling nanostructures based upon DNA; (5) the development of new kinds of stimulus-responsive catalysts that can be turned on and off by an applied, external force; and (6) the development of new materials based upon steel nanoparticles in an organic matrix that can be molded and sintered at low temperatures. In addition to conducting research during the summer, the students participating in this program will participate in a number of professional development activities, including a discussion of ethics in science, opportunities for formal scientific communication, and field trips to local industrial facilities and other research facilities.
Young scientists need exposure to modern research methods and tools as part of their training. This REU site aims to provide cutting-edge research training in the chemical sciences, with a strong emphasis on the development of new kinds of molecules and materials with "smart" properties. The research projects are in diverse areas of chemistry, many of which will have an impact in areas of national need. The diverse student cohort participating in research at this site will be well-prepared for graduate school, and eventual employment as part of the country's technical workforce.
