REU Site: Center for Early Research Experiences in Functional Materials

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY

The REU Site: Center for Early Research Experiences in Functional Materials at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) offers mentored research opportunities and professional development to ten undergraduate students each year during a 10-week summer program. The program focuses on students from two- and four-year institutions in Central New England who have little to no prior research experience.

Participants will engage in interdisciplinary projects, working closely with faculty and graduate student mentors who specialize in areas such as materials for flexible and wearable electronics, sustainable photovoltaics, and responsive biomaterials for robotics and therapeutic applications. These projects are designed to foster collaboration between students with different academic backgrounds, with two students from different academic majors collaborating on each project, co-mentored by faculty and graduate students from different departments.

In addition to research, the program includes a comprehensive series of professional development seminars aimed at preparing students for the modern workforce and introducing them to the complex challenges within the field of functional materials. REU students will also develop teaching modules on materials science, which they will share with local high school students.

The summer culminates with the WPI Summer Research Showcase, an event that typically features over 100 student presenters. This provides students with the opportunity to disseminate their research findings, practice their presentation skills, and expand their professional networks. TECHNICAL SUMMARY

The REU Site: Center for Early Research Experiences in Functional Materials at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) provides a ten-week summer program for ten undergraduate students to conduct mentored research and develop professional skills. Participants will work on interdisciplinary projects addressing challenges in materials science, such as developing materials for wearable electronics, biomaterials for medical applications, and energy generation and storage technologies.

A key aspect of the program is hands-on materials characterization, where students will employ advanced techniques, including Raman spectroscopy, transient optical absorption, THz spectroscopy, atomic force and scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center-based diamond microscopy for high-sensitivity magnetic field imaging. Students will also perform theoretical and computational studies, such as density functional theory (DFT) modeling, to complement experimental findings.

Teams will consist of researchers from at least two disciplines—such as physics, chemistry, materials science, mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, and chemical engineering—reflecting the collaborative nature of modern research and industry. This program offers immersive experience, equipping students with technical expertise and a multidisciplinary perspective essential for advancing functional materials research and applications.

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.