NSF Award
1358923
This REU Site award to Alabama State University, located in Montgomery, AL, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2014 - 2016. The focus of this program is to provide research experiences in the multidisciplinary fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology. Faculty from biological sciences, chemistry, physical sciences and other related disciplines will be serving as mentors for the program. All research projects will be based on novel concepts of design and development of new nanomaterials for biological applications. Students will participate in a full-time closely mentored lab research project along with seminars and various professional development workshops, such as the responsible conduct of research, professional communication skills, career opportunities in academia and industry, and the graduate school application process. Students will present their findings at both a poster session and research symposium during the final weeks of the program. Students will also take field trips to encourage interactions with the faculty and students at Alabama State University. Housing, a stipend, and meal and travel allowances will be provided. Students will be selected based on their interest in research, academic record, and phone interviews with potential faculty mentors. <br/><br/>The REU program is intended to encourage students to pursue a career in STEM fields. Students will learn how research is conducted and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Members of underrepresented minority groups and from colleges with limited research opportunities are especially encouraged to apply.<br/><br/>Program evaluation will use both internal evaluations and the BIO REU common assessment tool. Students are required to be tracked after the program and must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by visiting http://www.alasu.edu/REU , or by contacting the PI (Dr. Komal Vig at komalvig@alasu.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Shree R. Singh at ssingh@alasu.edu).
