| NSF Org: |
CHE Division Of Chemistry |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 10, 2014 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | January 11, 2018 |
| Award Number: | 1358498 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Michelle Bushey
CHE Division Of Chemistry MPS Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences |
| Start Date: | August 15, 2014 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $331,062.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $331,062.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1000 E UNIVERSITY AVE LARAMIE WY US 82071-2000 (307)766-5320 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1000 East Univ Ave. Laramie WY US 82071-2000 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS IN CHEM, EPSCoR Co-Funding |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.049 |
ABSTRACT
This award, supported by the Division of Chemistry (CHE) and the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) Program both at the National Science Foundation support a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the University of Wyoming (UW), led by Professors John O. Hoberg and Brian Leonard. Wyoming's educational system is comprised of a single 4-year graduate-level university along with seven community colleges (CC). Each of these CC's supports a chemistry department along with a total of 22 faculty. Thus, this proposal targets and will recruit students from these seven institutions and is expected to produce a significant, scientific impact on the community colleges, students in the state of Wyoming, and surrounding states. The site is designed to train students in modern research by providing hands-on experience with sophisticated instrumentation, and providing access to specialized research methods not typically available in their community college education. Projects are integrated with participation in seminars, an ethics course, and field trips to a national lab and coal mine to educate students on the current scientific issues related to both national and global energy demand and management. The program also serves to prepare students for careers in the emerging high-tech energy field, which will continue to grow. An impact of this program is to attract students into science careers using current energy and climate problems that will motivate and impassion students who desire to continue living in the western United States.
In this project, the Department of Chemistry at the University of Wyoming (UW) will bring seven teams of community college professors and their undergraduate students from Wyoming community colleges (CC) to UW each summer. These teams will work in chemistry research groups on outstanding problems in energy science and energy resource management. This 10-week summer research program involves hands-on research along with a variety of activities to educate and train students in energy science. Each student works closely with one of the 11 participating faculty mentors who have been carefully selected for their research accomplishments and successful experiences in working with undergraduate researchers.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The University of Wyoming (UW) REU program focuses on the education and training of community college students. Our program brings up to seven community college undergraduate students and one or two professors from Wyoming community colleges (CC) to UW each summer. These students worked in chemistry research groups on problems in energy science and energy resource management. The 10-week summer research program involved hands-on research along with a variety of activities (seminars, ethics mini-course, and field trips) to educate and train students in energy science. Each student worked closely with one of the 11 participating faculty mentors who have been carefully selected for their research accomplishments and successful experiences in working with undergraduate researchers. The research covered a wide variety of projects associated with the development of new energy technologies and improvements on existing energy resources. Projects ranged from materials synthesis for membrane and battery technology, catalyst development for the formation of high-value materials from fossil fuels, fuel cell technology or a few examples.
Projects are integrated with participation in seminars, an ethics course, and field trips to the National Renewable Energy lab in Golden, Co and the largest coal mine in the US located in Wyoming. This allowed the students to see the current state of energy production in the US at the coal mine and the future of renewable energy at NREL.
Of the over 18 CC students trained in this three year REU program, all have moved on to 4-year universities to complete their bachelorate degree in the sciences. Many of the first year students are now enrolled in PhD programs across the country. Thus, we feel that the object of the program - to enrich and motivate CC student to pursue science careers has been a great success. All the faculty involved in the program are also very excited about future programs that will continue to focus on community college students.
Last Modified: 09/14/2018
Modified by: John O Hoberg
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