Arkansas issued the following announcement on May 13.
The Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering at the U of A was awarded two grants to support research experiences for a diverse group of undergraduates.
The first grant, from the National Science Foundation, is a $431,976 award to establish a Research Experience for Undergraduates site that will focus on chemical separation research and commercialization assessment methodology.
The second grant, also from the NSF, is for $107,097 and falls under the Research Experience and Mentoring Supplement. While the goal of this grant is similar to the REU award, it will focus on the recruitment of students attending NorthWest Arkansas Community College.
The Membrane Science Engineering and Technology Center will be the primary host of these two undergraduate programs. The director of the center, Ranil Wickramasinghe, who worked on the proposal with associate professor of chemical engineering, Shannon Servoss, will serve as the principal investigator.
“We are excited to be hosting both the REU and REM programs this year,” Wickramasinghe said. “The REU program builds off our earlier successful program, while the REM program will help strengthen our link to NorthWest Arkansas Community College. Both programs aim to strengthen participation by underrepresented groups in science and engineering.”
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES
The Department of Chemical Engineering will host From Bench to Market: Engineering Systems for High Efficiency Separations Research Experience for Undergraduates for the next three years. The purpose of this REU site is to provide a diverse group of undergraduate students from across the country with research experiences in chemical separations as well as train them with the skills needed to create, implement and assess the commercial potential of research projects.
The 10-week summer program will target up to 10 rising sophomores through seniors from both two- and four-year institutions, including those without a doctoral program. Applicants from underrepresented groups within STEM disciplines will be prioritized.
The collaborative environment includes industrial and academic experts in separations, along with leaders in commercialization assessment, and provides a unique opportunity for students to experience how research is moved from the laboratory setting to the market.
This grant is a renewal of an existing REU site, which was on campus from 2017-2019.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Arkansas
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