Project Summary
Overview
Project Elements: New REU Site
Title: Engineering in Extreme Environments Research Experience for Undergraduates (EX-REU)
PI: Ryan C. Cooper co-PI: Jennifer Pascal
Submitting Organization: University of Connecticut
Other organizations: none
Location of REU activities: School of Engineering and Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269
Main field(s): Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineeirng, and Biomedical Engineering
No. of undergraduate participants per year: 10
Summer REU Site
No. of weeks per year that the students will participate: 10
International or RET component?: No
Applicant point-of-contact: Ryan C. Cooper, 860-486-2239, ryan.c.cooper@.uconn.edu
Web address (if known): http://ex-reu.engr.uconn.edu
Energy, defense, and health applications require innovative solutions from diverse teams of engineers to extreme environment challenges. The nation spent over $5 billion on extreme research topics in 2017 [usaspending.gov]. Traditional undergraduate engineering education builds a foundation in mechanics, materials, and chemistry for ideal environments. Extreme environments include extreme temperatures, long lifetimes, chemical attack, high mechanical loads, or more often combinations of these factors. The long term goal of this REU site is to encourage minority, Native American, and female engineers to pursue graduate education in engineering in extreme environments.
Intellectual Merit
The research challenges will address national and global need in energy, defense, and health applications. Students will have research opportunities with UConn faculty and Pratt and Whitney scientists through combined center of excellence projects. We will mentor and develop career plans with students using superhero cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) Superhero therapy. We will identify action items with career and education. Seminars from UConn professors and entrepreneurs and trips to Pratt and Whitney and UConn start-ups will demonstrate career opportunites. Ongoing UConn REU sites and research experience for teachers will build networking opportunities. Journal readings and research discussion will draw from superhero extreme environment engineering and summer Marvel blockbusters viewings. We will use cultural awareness activities for networking and teambuilding exercises. Superhero CBT mentoring and cultural awareness activities can be incorporated into future programs and clubs at UConn.
Broader Impacts
Students will build upon their educational foundations with research in nonideal situations that they are not likely to learn in typical undergraduate engineering courses. This EX-REU site will provide 30 mostly minority students with training in engineering in extreme environments. Preparing these diverse students to collaborate and work in interdisciplinary environments will continue the United States tradition of excellence in energy, defense, and health research.