| NSF Org: |
EEC Division of Engineering Education and Centers |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | April 5, 2019 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | April 5, 2019 |
| Award Number: | 1852251 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Patricia Simmons
EEC Division of Engineering Education and Centers ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | May 1, 2019 |
| End Date: | October 31, 2023 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $360,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $360,000.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
201 OLD MAIN UNIVERSITY PARK PA US 16802-1503 (814)865-1372 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
110 Technology Center Building University Park PA US 16802-7000 |
| 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): | EWFD-Eng Workforce Development |
| 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): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site, Scalable Nanomanufacturing of Complex Materials, hosted by Penn State University, University Park, provides a diverse cohort of undergraduate students with an opportunity to work on next generation materials and devices that will underpin the future of microelectronics research and also participate in a focused professional development and mentoring program. As industry projects the end of Moore's law in terms of device scaling, "More than Moore" approaches which utilize new materials to enable new functionalities will become increasingly critical. This REU site will enable ten students annually to work in the field of advanced nanomanufacturing in state-of-the-art user facilities. Emphasis will be placed on developing processes and models for deposition and patterning of emerging materials with complex chemistries that change the available palette of functions for semiconductors, sensors, and actuators. The program builds on Penn State expertise in the areas of two-dimensional chalcogenides for applications in next generation electronics as well as integrated piezoelectrics and pyroelectrics. While the materials described above are interesting in and of themselves, combinations of these two classes of materials: the 2D chalcogenides and high strain piezoelectrics based on complex oxides should enable low power computation for wearable devices and the Internet of Things, CMOS-compatible actuation voltages for miniaturized medical ultrasound transducers, adjustable optics, self-powered sensors, conformable electronics, and RF electronics.
This REU program is hosted by the co-located Penn State Nanofabrication facility and the 2D Crystal Consortium- Materials Innovation Platform facility, whose faculty, students, and staff will work with a diverse cohort of ten undergraduate students annually selected from institutions across the nation to conduct research in the field of heterogeneous integration of complex materials in a nanomanufacturing environment. Long-term skills imparted will include the development and testing of a scientific hypothesis, practice in oral and written scientific communication, and management of scientific data. Through engagement with industry partners, the REU participants will gain perspective on research career pathways beyond academia and be exposed to the organization and operational infrastructure of an industrial research facility in industrial R&D, manufacturing and management. Students will be paired with faculty and trained graduate student mentors in an environment for which the team has a long track record of success in recruiting and inspiring diverse undergraduate populations. Special recruitment efforts will be made to encourage applicants from academic institutions where research programs are limited, female students, students with disabilities, students who are veterans of the U.S. Armed Services and underrepresented minority students.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
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.
As technology progresses, the traditional way of making electronic devices smaller, known as Moore's law, is reaching its limits. To tackle this challenge, we need to explore innovative approaches using new materials that can give rise to new device capabilities. In addition, in the United States, it's crucial to inspire and train a diverse group of scientists and engineers who can contribute to the goals of the CHIPs act, which focuses on advancing microelectronics research and workforce development.
One initiative that has been addressing this need during the summers of 2019-23 was the National Science Foundation funded REU site hosted by the Penn State Nanofabrication Facility and the 2D Crystal Consortium Materials Innovation Platform. This program provided a diverse group of 39 undergraduate students with the opportunity to work on essential materials that could shape the future of microelectronics research, all while offering valuable mentorship to these students. The undergraduate students participated in ten-week long summer research experiences, focusing on nanofabrication and nanomanufacturing of 2D layered and complex oxide materials. The primary goal was to develop processes and models for depositing and patterning emerging materials with complex chemical properties. These materials have the potential to expand the capabilities of semiconductors, sensors, and actuators.
It's worth noting that the participants in this program represented a diverse group: nearly half self-identified as female, over half self-identified as members of minority groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, and nearly three quarter came from academic institutions with limited research opportunities. Furthermore, a significant number (34 of 39) were from outside Penn State University, including students from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs).
Our REU site used formative and summative evaluation tools, based on tools developed by the Princeton MRSEC Center for Complex Materials, to measure the effectiveness and progress of participants. Each REU student completed three surveys: a pre-program, progress evaluation, and a post-program survey. These surveys helped gauge the impact of the program on individual research projects and identify areas for improvement. Students were also encouraged to share ideas for program enhancement, explore new lines of inquiry, and suggest future activities. A Likert scale was employed in both pre- and post-program surveys to assess the perceived gains in research skills, such as formulating research questions, designing experiments, laboratory safety, research ethics, presentation skills, and mentorship understanding. The average improvement across all 13 skills was 1.03, with the most significant gains observed in skills related to designing oral presentations, creating scientific posters, giving scientific talks, and publishing research articles. Skills like laboratory safety and basic lab techniques, which students were already proficient in due to prior coursework, showed lower gains. For participants in the program from 2019 to 2022, the professional status of 95% of them has been ascertained. Of those who completed their undergraduate studies, 88% were in graduate or other professional schools, with one student securing a job as a researcher. This data highlights the positive influence of the program in preparing students for further education and careers in research-related fields.
Last Modified: 11/30/2023
Modified by: Joan Redwing
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