In this project funded by the REU Sites Program in the Chemistry Division at the National Science Foundation, Professors Annaliese Franz and Kirill Kovnir are developing the University of California Davis ChemEnergy REU site to provide diverse undergraduate students with a unique ten-week research experience with a strong focus on chemistry at the interface of energy, materials and biotechnology. The REU site has a defined research focus on sustainability with projects ranging from biofuels to renewable energy that allows students to appreciate how chemistry can provide solutions for major challenges facing society. The broader impacts are to provide research opportunities to diverse students who would not normally participate or would not have the opportunity to participate at their current institution, including accommodations for blind students.
This REU project focuses on providing a cohort experience that is designed to cross barriers between chemistry disciplines with a focus on the fundamentals and applications of energy, catalysis and enzymes. The program provides seminars and workshops in energy and catalysis, training with state-of-the art instrumentation, and interactive workshops for science communication training, all of which set the stage for students to discuss and understand the research. This REU program also has experience, resources, and multi-level mentoring to accommodate blind or vision-impaired students in research. In the ChemEnergy REU, students will gain: 1) skills in critical thinking and science communication, 2) the ability to work as part of a research team, and 3) an understanding of broader issues and how chemistry is connected. The experience is designed to give students a strong start on their path towards future careers in chemistry and energy sciences.
