This award establishes a new REU Site for a ten-week program at Texas A&M University for three years. The focus of the program is to provide interdisciplinary research experience on granular and particulate materials for 26 diverse undergraduate students. The REU students will work with faculty mentors from different science and engineering departments at Texas A&M on characterizing, modeling, and fabricating granular and particulate materials. Granular and particulate materials span several length scales, from bulky solids such as ores and rocks to nano-particles and ultra-fine powders. Understanding the behavior of granular materials is important in virtue of their scientific, technological relevance and their impact on society. For example, large-size particles play important roles in natural disasters such as landslides, earthquakes, soil liquefaction/erosion, and are also useful for enhanced oil recovery. At the other end of the length scale, nano-particles present great potential for applications in many fields. In this REU program students will engage in research on granular materials and receive training in technical writing, communication/presentation techniques, preparation for graduate school environment, and have opportunities to interact and network among peers and professionals from different research groups.
This site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. Within NSF, this award is jointly funded by the Division of Materials Research in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate and the Division of Engineering Education Centers in the Engineering Directorate.
The overarching goal of the REU project was to engage undergraduate students across a variety of disciplines in materials science research with faculty mentors and graduate students to prepare and encourage the undergraduates to purse graduate education. The research conducted during the program by the teams of undergraduate students, graduate student mentors and faculty members is wide-ranging within the overarching theme of characterization, modeling, and fabrication of granular and particulate materials across length scales. Nine faculty members from four engineering departments (aerospace, chemical, civil and mechanical) were involved in the project. The topics included investigating the response of sands used for transportation projects, fabricating shape memory alloys, assessing the potential for necking in polymeric materials, designing barriers for containment of nuclear waste, modeling crack propagation in metals and rocks, quantififying particle roughness, and simulating a vascular network in vitro. The program funded a total of 34 students (4 more than the anticipated number) of which 15 were from Texas A&M University. This means that about 55% of the participants were from off-campus. The program had 9 female participants and an overall total of 16 participants from under-represented groups. A number of the students came from universities which do not have graduate programs or whose graduate programs do not require research. At this time, 13 of the students are in graduate school or have completed a graduate degree. Four students indicated that they are pursuing doctoral degrees. A few students are still completing their undergraduate degrees, but have indicated their intention to continue towards a graduate degree. Several students commented on the fact that the REU experience provided them with insight on research, which encouraged them to find other research opportunities at their home institution. At the same time, the REU opportunity was a good resume building activity that was critical in obtaining research positions elsewhere. Finally, some students indicated that the REU experience was also valuable for building skills that were useful to obtain a job in industry. Each REU participant was also part of the College of Engineering program 'Undergraduate Summer Research Grants' (USRG). This program provided logistical support and various activities, such as facility tours, lunch seminars, GRE preparation courses, and social activities. The USRG activities involved a diverse group of students from all fields of engineering and coming from many different locations around the country. In addition, all students were required to prepare a research proposal by week 5 of the program and a final report. At the end of the 10-week program all students presented a poster. Posters were evaluated by a number of the faculty and graduate student mentors. Finally, the program helped graduate students to develop skills in mentoring and guiding undergraduate research that will be fundamental in their own academic careers. At least two graduate student mentors have graduated and have entered academia as assistant professors.
