Support to Broaden Student Participation in the 2021 Meeting of the North American Membrane Society (NAMS)

This award will provide travel support for 13 U.S.-based undergraduate students to attend the 2021 Meeting of the North American Membrane Society (NAMS) at Estes Park, Colorado. NAMS is a premier membrane conference, providing outstanding technical sessions across the full breadth of topics within membrane science and technology. The theme of the 2021 meeting is "Convergence - Connecting Membrane Science to Societal Challenges," which aligns with several Grand Challenges recently identified by the National Academy of Engineering.

The meeting has a rich history of engaging graduate student researchers directly through targeted programs and award opportunities. The goal of this travel support is to extend these opportunities to undergraduate researchers who identify as a member of an underrepresented group in STEM and might otherwise be unable to attend the conference. Additionally, it will provide a platform for students to network with community leaders and fellow undergraduate and graduate students.

A unique undergraduate mentoring program will foster inclusivity and encourage the students to take full advantage of the technical, social, and networking opportunities available at NAMS 2021. Early engagement in a professional society/conference will provide students with motivation and encouragement to pursue advanced degrees in their respective fields and, subsequently, develop a healthy and diverse workforce.

The NAMS organizing committee is comprised of diverse North American researchers, and invited speakers from academia, industry, and government labs feature prominently in the program. The meeting will feature 26 technical sessions, daily plenary sessions, a poster session, and abundant unstructured discussion periods to catalyze new collaborative relationships and research ideas.

The 2021 NAMS meeting will cover a variety of topics ranging from fundamental studies of membrane material science to process systems development and applications of membrane technology in water, bioprocessing, chemical separations, environmental systems, and energy. Historically, hundreds of graduate students participate in the NAMS meeting and engage in unique professional development and training opportunities.

This award will extend such opportunities to a cohort of U.S. undergraduate students with the intention of growing and retaining a diverse community of membrane scientists and engineers. All undergraduate attendees will be paired with senior graduate student mentors who will serve as meeting guides and support an immersive experience. The program's effectiveness will be assessed through surveys and observation of student outcomes.

It is anticipated that the award for travel and registration fee subsidies will attract diverse young scientists in the field and enhance the membrane science and technology workforce.

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.