This three-year REU Site program will be part of the Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEINT) headquartered at Duke University. It will be hosted by three CEINT partner universities; Duke, Virginia Tech, and Carnegie Mellon as well as the European Center for Research and Education in Geosciences and the Environment (CEREGE) in Aix-en-Provence, France. An Orientation will be held at Duke in week one prior to participants transitioning to their respective research site.
In order for students to gain optimal benefits from the multiple research disciplines and research available through such a Center, participants will continue their communications initiated during Orientation through weekly cross-site videoconferencing and via the online collaboratory offered by the REU Site. The REU program will leverage training activities established within CEINT such as seminars, ongoing colloquia and weekly research team meetings and provide in-depth training in the scientific method, data analysis, and professional presentations. The program objectives include: (1) encouraging a diverse group of students towards careers in emerging fields in science and engineering related to nanotechnology research; (2 ) increasing student awareness of the ethical context of nanotechnology research and the importance of developing nanotechnology in an environmentally responsible manner; and (3) facilitation a comprehensive understanding of the complex, evolving parameters emerging as factors mitigating environmental impacts of nanomaterials at the cellular, organismic and ecosystem levels. In addition students will have the opportunity to learn to use cutting-edge lab and imaging technologies for identifying nanoparticle fate, transport, and structural behaviors through the rich array of lab facilities and field sites available through CEINT.
It will also feature a unique, interdisciplinary team approach to mentoring students on research projects across themes designed to link fundamental physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials at the nanoscale with their observed biological and ecosystem effects. Student opportunities will be available across six nanoscale research themes: Exposure: Transport & Transformation; Cellular and Organismal Responses; Impacts on Ecosystems; Manufactured Nanomaterials; Natural and Incidental Nanoparticles; and Risk Assessment and Modeling. REU students will learn how risk assessment provides feedback to guide future research and will learn about evolving parameters considered important for comparative international studies in nanotechnology.
This program will expand CEINT's programs for undergraduates across three US universities and in France, creating trans-university and international opportunities for undergraduate students in the sciences and engineering. Recruitment efforts will be targeted to students from underrepresented groups, particularly females and minorities and from institutions with limited research opportunities. The REU program seeks to inspire undergraduate students to pursue graduate education and future careers in emerging fields in environmental science and engineering as well as nanotechnology research.
(CEINT) headquartered at Duke University created a multi-site comprehensive REU program beginning summer 2011 with research placements at three US CEINT partner universities: Duke, Carnegie Mellon (CMU), and Virginia Tech (VT) and with our French partner- the European Center for Research and Education in Geosciences and the Environment (CEREGE), Aix-en-Provence, France. It provided summer research experiences to a diverse group of 33 undergraduate students for summers 2011-13 at these institutions with a focus on the environmental impacts of nanotechnology spanning the cellular, organismal and ecosystem range. This program was designed to inspire undergraduates towards future research and careers in science and engineering and to support the critical demand for undergraduate research training in the emerging field of nano-scale science and technology. It expanded research opportunities for females and underrepresented minorities as well as provided training for students early in their careers. Training and professional development opportunities included: a week long Orientation at Duke; placement in mentored research labs at the four CEINT research sites (Duke, CMU, VT and the CEREGE); a cross-site professional development series hosted and streamed from Duke plus additional professional development meetings and weekly lab meetings at all sites; and return to Duke for Graduation Presentations to faculty, graduate student and post-doc mentors. Projects engaged students in an integrated, unique interdisciplinary approach to understanding principles that govern nanoparticle toxicity in the environment and learning how risk assessment can provide feedback to guide future research and policy. It featured a 10-week interdisciplinary team approach to mentoring students on research projects across themes designed to link fundamental physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials with their observed biological and ecosystem effects. This research focus is particularly important in the area of environmental nano-science since it incorporates studies conducted in self-contained ecosystems (mesocosms) to provide environmentally relevant feedback loops, critical to informing design of follow-up lab research that is relevant to real world environmental impacts. This REU is unique in that it provides training across multiple disciplines in addition to engineering that include chemistry, biology, toxicology, eco-toxicology, ecology, geosciences, and physics. Research in the area of environmental implications of nanotechnology requires this type of interdisciplinarity to elucidate the complex factors involved in understanding the impacts of nanomaterials at the cellular, organismic, and ecosystem levels. Students are part of interdisciplinary research teams and therefore trained across multiple disciplines and thus have opportunities to make original cutting edge research contributions across disciplines. Broader impacts include solidifying training opportunities for undergraduates across three U.S. universities and in France- thus creating trans-university and international networks for undergraduates that position students to readily transition to graduate school. By targeting underrepresented groups, particularly females and minority students, and recruiting students at early career junctures (over 50% freshmen and sophomores) and from institutions with limited research opportunities, this program impacted a diverse group of undergraduates who might not otherwise have had opportunities for in-depth research training so early in their undergraduate experience. Evaluation feedback indicated positive impacts that include encouraging future careers in science or engineering; future participation in interdisciplinary and international research; and increasing students’ confidence in their abilities to participate in future research in the area of nano-science. All 100% of student participants reported that this program allowed them to expand their professional networks. These indicators along with 100% acceptance rate to top choice graduate schools in science or engineering for rising seniors indicate that this REU is contributing to training the next generation of scientist and engineers. Broad dissemination was achieved through multiple channels including streaming graduations presentations across all sites; supporting student publications and conference presentations; and involving REU fellows in K-12 outreach through delivery of hands-on nano-science activities at local CEINT museum partners as part of the NSF funded national NanoScale Informal Science Education Network (NISENET). Through highlighting this REU on websites designed to provide career opportunities for underrepresented students and by supporting students’ publications, presentations and post-REU mentorship, a strong foundation was built to sustain and disseminate students’ educational and research experiences. By encouraging a diverse group of students towards careers in the emerging fields in science and engineering related to nanotechnology research; increasing student awareness of the ethical context of nanotechnology research and the importance of developing nanotechnology in an environmentally responsible manner; and by facilitation of a comprehensive understanding of the complex, evolving parameters emerging as factors mitigating environmental impacts of nanomaterials, this REU program is advancing the training of the next generation of environmentally responsible nano-scientists and engineers.
