Program Description
The students will work with graduate students and faculty on a current research project during the ten week program. Additionally, students will work in teams on a "cross-training internship" where they will complete a mini-project in a different field of particle-based functional materials, in order to enhance the students' breadth of knowledge. Weekly seminars are scheduled on various topics including, laboratory safety, research integrity and oral presentation skills. Social, recreational and cultural activities are scheduled throughout the ten week program. Participants will be expected to work approximately 40 hours per week on their research projects. In addition, all students will be required to participate in the Research Symposium which will be held during the last week of the program as well as an Ethics Forum in the middle of the program.
Program Duration: 10 weeks beginning May 30, 2012 (May 29th move-in day) and ending August 3, 2012
Stipend: $5000 plus housing (if needed), a $500 meal allowance, and up to a $300 travel allowance.
Eligibility: Students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents and are enrolled in a degree program in the sciences or engineering leading to a bachelor of science degree are eligible to participate in the program. Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Materials Science/Engineering and Chemical Engineering students are particularly encouraged to apply. Applicants who have earned a BS degree prior to the beginning of the program are not eligible.
Application Deadline:Evaluation of applications will begin upon receipt. While there is no formal application deadline, no offers will be extended prior to February 15, 2012 (so submission prior to this date is preferred). No incomplete application will be considered.
Application Procedure: See the apply page.
Housing and Travel
Financial assistance for travel and housing will be available on an as needed basis. Housing is provided in the form of a shared dormitory room (double occupancy) in a newly constructed building (Pennsylvania Hall). All rooms have private bathroom/shower facilities and the dormitory is located just a short walk from both the engineering building and exercise/recreational facilities. Students who will require housing must indicate this on the application form or it will be assumed that you are securing your own housing arrangements.
Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
The Department (che.pitt.edu) has a tradition of excellence in education and research, evidenced by recent national awards including numerous NSF CAREER Awards, a Beckman Young Investigator Award, an NIH Director's New Innovator Award, and the DOE Hydrogen Program R&D Award, among others. Active areas of research in the Department include Biological and Biomedical Systems; Energy and Sustainability; and Materials Modeling and Design. The faculty have a record of success in obtaining research funding such that the Department ranks within the top 25 U.S. ChE departments for Federal R&D spending in recent years with annual research expenditures exceeding $5M. The vibrant research culture within the Department includes active collaboration with the adjacent University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Center for Simulation and Modeling, the McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation, the Petersen Institute of NanoScience and Engineering and the U.S. DOE-affiliated Institute for Advanced Energy Solutions. In addition, the Swanson School is in the midst of a $100M renovation and redesign of their facilities in Benedum Engineering Hall. The Department currently has 14 tenure stream faculty and student enrollment of approximately 230 undergraduate and 50 graduate students.
About the University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh has been a vital force in American higher education since 1787. In the ensuing 200+ years, the strength and scope of the University's programs have gained national and international prominence. Pitt is one of the 58 major North American research universities which are members of the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU). As an international institution with strong local roots, the University of Pittsburgh undertakes a three-pronged mission of education, research, and public service. With its main campus located in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, Pitt also serves Western Pennsylvania with regional campuses in Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, and Titusville.
If you are eligible to participate and would like additional information, please feel free to contact Dr. Joseph McCarthy by phone at (412) 624-7362, or by email at reu@granular.che.pitt.edu.