This award from the Division of Chemistry at the National Science Foundation supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) Site led by Professors Michael D. Best and Shawn R. Campagna both of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. The Site will host an REU program that offers comprehensive preparation for careers in chemistry. Central to this endeavor is a 10-week research experience that will provide intensive introductory research training. In addition, numerous mentored professional development activities will yield a solid and well-rounded foundation for participating students. Students will participate in a multipart ethics course developed by the faculty and also receive mentored training in the preparation of professional documents and presentations through a collaboration with the UTK Science Writing Program. Additionally, a science journalism student who will prepare articles for the general public that highlight the experiences of participants, will be embedded in the REU Program. Students will also benefit from site visits to research institutions including nearby Oak Ridge National Laboratory, as well as panel discussions on career options including participants from different research sectors. Finally, rigorous assessment of the program will be conducted by the UTK Institute for Assessment and Evaluation.
The intellectual merit of this program is driven by the cutting-edge research that will be performed by REU students. While a range of research will be offered spanning the field of chemistry, these projects are generally centered on the common theme of advanced materials for energy and sensing applications. These topics represent critical areas of current research, and involve projects at UTK that are funded by federal agencies, thus invigorating and validating the work to be performed by participating students. The broader impacts of this proposal entail the comprehensive initial training experiences that will provide students with a range of critical skills to enhance their careers. In addition, broad dissemination will be achieved through the publication of point-of-view articles prepared by an embedded science writer, and students will leave the program with polished poster and oral presentations for use at future conferences. The impact of this program will additionally be enhanced by actively recruiting and selecting outstanding students who lack access to undergraduate research at their home institutions. Furthermore, to achieve the goal of broadening participation in research, students from demographic groups underrepresented in the sciences will be aggressively recruited. This effort will be aided by ongoing partnerships with faculty at institutions that primarily serve underrepresented groups and the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAMP).
