This proposed three-year REU site renewal proposal is focused in the area of sustainable energy. This REU site builds upon the success of an REU site in sustainable energy at Kansas State University from 2009 through 2011. The core of the program is the research the students will conduct on sustainable energy. These research projects will involve faculty mentors from chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical and computer engineering, biological and agricultural engineering, and grain science. In these projects, students will acquire research skills and become aware of the technical skills required for addressing challenges in sustainable energy. Students will orally present the results of their research to their peers and the co-PIs once during the summer and through a poster presentation at a concluding research symposium.
In addition to their research, students will participate in weekly seminars on sustainability and professional development. The sustainability seminars will cover topics such as triple bottom line, climate change, carbon taxes and carbon trading, wind energy, solar energy, biofuels, sustainable transportation systems, energy efficiency and conservation, water, land, sustainable indoor environments, population, and sustainable food systems. These seminars will be part of a formal course, ChE 670 Sustainability Seminar, for which the students will receive one hour of academic credit. The professional development seminars will include topics such as laboratory safety, laboratory research notebooks, data management, writing a scientific paper, technical presentations, graduate education, and career paths.
A final key component of this project will be the inclusion of a team outreach project related to sustainability. In this project, groups of students will interact with the public (at the Flint Hills Discovery Center) or K-12 students (at on-campus summer camps) about a topic on sustainability of their choosing. Students will be trained in how to present technical information to a non-technical audience by the head of the Center for Science Education at Kansas State. This team project will enhance student communication skills, allow students to see the broader implications of their research, and see how they can positively impact society through research.
The socialization amongst the students is important in solidifying the research experience and reinforcing the diversity of the program. To facilitate these interactions a series of social activities will be planned to build community among the REU students and faculty mentors. These will include weekly brown bag lunches on campus, field trips to unique sites at and near Kansas State (ethanol plant, hydroelectric plant, wind farm), and evening activities such as a hike on a nearby prairie.
Broader Impacts The proposed REU site will provide a rich research experience focused on the personal and professional development of the participants. Students will gain not only the technical abilities required to conduct research in sustainable energy, but will also become aware of the social and political issues associated with sustainable energy. By being involved in a team outreach project on sustainable energy, students will learn to communicate their research to broad audiences and about how their research fits into society. The REU site will also enhance the participation of students from underrepresented groups in research and in graduate school.
"The site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program."
