The
long term goals
of
the Research
Triangle MRSEC REU program are to maximize opportunities
for undergraduate involvement in
MRSEC research, recruit diverse
undergraduate students from across the country, and support future careers in
materials science and engineering. Our 2013 class of REU students represented a
diverse group of undergraduates with 46% females and 40% underrepresented
minorities.
In addition to serving as an influential
stepping stone for future
graduate school and professional
careers in STEM fields, particularly materials science and engineering, the REU program has
fostered collaborative interactions within the Research Triangle community for
REU students,
graduate mentors and faculty. Our program spans two
universities, Duke University and NC State and maintains student exchange interactions with our PREM partner, Texas State.
This year
we also organized a joint student research symposium with the NSF. Materials
Interdisciplinary Research Team (MIRT) at UNC. REU students from our program
joined REU students from their program to present posters and oral talks
summarizing their research experiences over the summer. This was a fantastic
educational and networking event for all involved, bringing together the
materials research communities from Duke University, NC State University, and
UNC-Chapel Hill.
