Chemical Engineering Research Experience For Undergraduates

This program addresses the challenge of increasing the enrollment of women and minorities in graduate engineering study. The key aspects of this program are: 1) the active recruitment of minorities and women by visiting selected 'target' schools, and 2) a student oriented research program that contains social as well as instructional aspects designed for successful integration of the participants into an exciting research environment. Ten faculty members from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Penn State have volunteered to support recruitment, instruction, and research supervision. The projects offered span a wide range of research, from plant tissue culture, to thermodynamics - held together by common chemical engineering principles. REU participants are matched with projects prior to selection to maximize mutual interests and capabilities. The participants enroll for 3 credits of Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Research during the summer semester. An instructional program at the beginning of the program has been designed to give the students a quick start on research. To stress the importance of communication, an introductory and final oral presentation, as well as a final written report is required of each student.