REU Site: Polymer Research & Innovation Summer Mentorship

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY This project will support a summer research program for undergraduate students at The University of Akron focused on polymer science and engineering. Polymers are important materials used in everyday products including plastics, coatings, tires, and medical devices. The program will recruit nine undergraduate students each year from across the United States to participate in a nine-week research experience that combines laboratory research, computational modeling, and data-driven approaches to materials discovery. Students will begin the program with a Foundations and Data Bootcamp introducing core polymer concepts, responsible research practices, and introductory data and machine learning tools. Participants will then conduct mentored research projects focused on sustainable polymers, circular and reprocessable materials, and technologies relevant to advanced manufacturing. Students will also participate in professional development activities, industry engagement, and site visits that expose them to real-world materials challenges. The program will broaden participation by recruiting students from institutions with limited research capacity. By providing hands-on training in modern materials research and professional communication, this project will help prepare the next generation of scientists and engineers needed to advance U.S. innovation in sustainable materials and manufacturing. TECHNICAL SUMMARY This Research Experiences for Undergraduates site will recruit nine undergraduate students annually to participate in a nine-week summer research program at the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering at The University of Akron. The program will integrate experimental, computational, and data-enabled approaches to polymer research within a collaborative research environment. Students will begin the program with a Foundations and Data Bootcamp that introduces core polymer science concepts, laboratory safety and ethics, and basic data analysis and machine learning tools relevant to modern materials research. Following this training, participants will conduct faculty-mentored research projects addressing measurable performance targets across three integrated research thrusts: circular and reprocessable polymer systems, data-enabled polymer discovery and design, and functional polymer materials relevant to manufacturing and scale-up. The program will expose students to the regional polymer innovation ecosystem through interactions with industry partners and site visits. Professional development activities will include scientific communication training and preparation for graduate study and technical careers. Students will present their research findings at the Northeast Ohio Undergraduate Research Symposium and, when feasible, at national scientific meetings. Through interdisciplinary mentorship and exposure to both discovery and early-stage translation of polymer technologies, the program will provide participants with training in modern polymer science and preparation for careers in research, industry, and advanced study. 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. NSF Award ID: 2548233 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: Mesfin Tsige | Institution: University of Akron, AKRON, OH | Award Amount: $362,138 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2548233 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2548233.html