This three-year REU Site program at Michigan Technological University will provide the opportunity for diverse cohorts of ten highly talented undergraduate students per year to participate in interdisciplinary research related to the effective use of renewable fuels in transportation. The overall goal of the program is to excite and equip students for further success in undergraduate and graduate programs that provide tomorrow's scientists and engineers with higher level skills, resources, and room for imagination to substantially transform our energy and transportation systems. The program's objectives are to increase students' interest in conducting research, basic understanding of interdisciplinary concepts through hands-on-learning, STEM problem-solving skills and ability to apply these skills to research problems, capacity for self efficacy as an independent research, ability to effectively collaborate as part of a highly diverse team, and communication competencies at both the interpersonal and presentational level. In addition, the program will provide REU students opportunities to attend professional meetings, seminars, conferences, and in-depth information related to applying to graduate school and obtaining funding.
The broader impacts of the REU Site program are related to the development of a larger and more diverse future workforce in the area of renewable transportation fuels a research area that holds great promise in its potential to help lower greenhouse gas emissions and the reliance on foreign energy sources. REU students will play an active role in the proposed research projects under the supervision of participating faculty mentors and graduate research assistants. The research experience gained from these projects will help REU students to become familiar with the process of conducting scientific research, and using practical approaches to solve complex problems. The existing research facilities and resources provide an excellent environment for these students to participate in research that is already yielding promising results.
) provides summer research opportunities for undergraduate students to participate in interdisciplinary research projects related to advanced propulsion, alternative fuels, and clean vehicles. The overall goal of the program is to excite and equip students for further success in undergraduate and graduate programs that provide tomorrow’s scientists and engineers with higher level skills, resources, and room for imagination to substantially transform our energy and transportation systems. The core of the program in each project year involved hands-on research along with a variety of activities, including professional development seminars, ethics education, information session for applying graduate schools and obtaining funding, career development, and social activities. Each team of students worked closely with one faculty mentor and graduate students on a research project. REU students exchanged research experience in weekly review meetings. The research results were reported in a final project report and presented in oral presentation and poster symposium. REU students made important contributions to better understand working principle of advanced hybrid powertrain and achieve the reduction of fuel consumption and emissions in transportation vehicles. The REU project was evaluated every year by pre- and post-REU content-area tests, assessments and focus group meetings. The majority of students clearly increased their level of content-area knowledge from the beginning to the end of the REU. In addition, students’ teaming ability and communication skills were improved. Michigan Tech REU Site was designed to train future workforce in the area of sustainable transportation – a research area that holds great promise in its potential to help lower greenhouse gas emissions and the reliance on foreign energy sources. A total of 30 students across the United States were participated in three-year REU program: 9 students in 2011 (Figure 1); 11 students in 2012 (Figure 2); and 10 students in 2013 (Figure 3). REU students worked as team members in 20 research projects (6 projects in 2011, 8 projects in 2012, and 6 projects in 2013). These research projects provided REU students opportunities to conduct hands-on scientific research while applying the theoretical knowledge they gained in the classroom. Figure 4-6 illustrate some of sample research projects. The REU program also provided opportunities for students from small colleges to obtain the training and experience necessary for graduate schools.
