REU Site: Smart Polymer Composite Materials and Structures

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site award to Louisiana State University, located in Baton Rouge, LA, supports the training of 8 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2021-2024. In this program, funded by the Division of Chemistry, participants will pursue interdisciplinary research projects in chemistry, mechanical engineering, and architecture.

Students will be mentored by faculty and gain hands-on experience by working closely with graduate students and postdocs. Participants also will receive professional development and ethics training, focusing on research and scientific communication skills and graduate school. Through independent research projects, workshops, and a seminar series, this site strives to broaden participation and prepare students for graduate school and future STEM careers.

Undergraduate research students at this site will undertake research projects across science and engineering, concentrated on smart polymer composite materials and structures. Planned projects include the design, synthesis, modeling, and characterization of smart polymer composites with sensing, actuating, healing, and adapting capabilities. Additionally, students will engage in weekly meetings, research facility tours, and a workshop series on topics including research ethics and poster design.

Social and cultural exchange events are planned to promote inclusivity and networking opportunities for a diverse group of future STEM leaders. Students will communicate their research findings to a broad audience of students, faculty, and staff at a university-wide summer research forum. This site aims to attract diverse cohorts with an emphasis on recruiting from HBCUs or other minority-serving institutions.

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.