Success of Undergraduate Education Programs Leads to New Funding

Outcome/Accomplishment

Undergraduate students gained exposure to industry mentors and research opportunities in energy, with their enthusiasm helping to attract funding for future undergraduate participation at the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR), an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) based at Purdue University.

Impact/Benefits

Two CISTAR programs, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience and Mentoring (REM), inspire students to consider careers in research and energy—particularly students from populations underrepresented in the energy sector. Already, past participants in the programs are working at energy companies or in graduate school.

Explanation/Background

Weekly mentor seminars gave the REM and REU students insight into the industry and research opportunities, with 100 percent of REM students recommending the program. The theme of "Energy for our Growing World" included tours including a photovoltaics site, Purdue University's nuclear reactor, and tiny house research demonstrations.

The success of CISTAR's program led to a request from the National Society of Black Engineers to create promotional material for its Summer Engineering Experience for Kids, a camp at which CISTAR and other REM participants mentor younger students. CISTAR, meanwhile, pitched its REM program to private donors and secured future funding for two REM students.

CISTAR REM students (upper left) on a field trip in Chicago with the CISTAR REU students; together (upper right) on their final day after successfully presenting their posters to the CISTAR faculty,
CISTAR REU and REM students learn about the integration of photovoltaics and agriculture at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education.

Location

West Lafayette, Indiana

e-mail

cistar@purdue.edu

website

https://cistar.us/

Start Year

Energy and Sustainability

Energy and Sustainability Icon
Energy and Sustainability Icon

Energy and Sustainability

Lead Institution

Purdue University

Core Partners

University of New Mexico, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, University of Texas at Austin

Fact Sheet

CISTAR Fact Sheet.pdf
CISTAR REM students (upper left) on a field trip in Chicago with the CISTAR REU students; together (upper right) on their final day after successfully presenting their posters to the CISTAR faculty,
CISTAR REU and REM students learn about the integration of photovoltaics and agriculture at the Agronomy Center for Research and Education.

Outcome/Accomplishment

Undergraduate students gained exposure to industry mentors and research opportunities in energy, with their enthusiasm helping to attract funding for future undergraduate participation at the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR), an NSF-funded Engineering Research Center (ERC) based at Purdue University.

Location

West Lafayette, Indiana

e-mail

cistar@purdue.edu

website

https://cistar.us/

Start Year

Energy and Sustainability

Energy and Sustainability Icon
Energy and Sustainability Icon

Energy and Sustainability

Lead Institution

Purdue University

Core Partners

University of New Mexico, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, University of Texas at Austin

Fact Sheet

CISTAR Fact Sheet.pdf

Impact/benefits

Two CISTAR programs, Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience and Mentoring (REM), inspire students to consider careers in research and energy—particularly students from populations underrepresented in the energy sector. Already, past participants in the programs are working at energy companies or in graduate school.

Explanation/Background

Weekly mentor seminars gave the REM and REU students insight into the industry and research opportunities, with 100 percent of REM students recommending the program. The theme of "Energy for our Growing World" included tours including a photovoltaics site, Purdue University's nuclear reactor, and tiny house research demonstrations.

The success of CISTAR's program led to a request from the National Society of Black Engineers to create promotional material for its Summer Engineering Experience for Kids, a camp at which CISTAR and other REM participants mentor younger students. CISTAR, meanwhile, pitched its REM program to private donors and secured future funding for two REM students.