2023 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

For the past twelve years, the REU Site in Nanotechnology for Health, Energy and the Environment has been supported at Stony Brook University in New York State. Over the years, we have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to develop and pilot workshops, panels and presentations that supported the professional development of our scholars and the advancement of research skills, while providing opportunities for students from a wide range of institutions (including community colleges), educational levels (including many first and second year students), academic majors, and demographic backgrounds. Having a history of feedback via surveys and interviews by our external reviewer from over 120 participants allows us to analyze the effectiveness of summer activities as the program has continued to evolve. Tracking personal identifiable data has allowed us to follow former participants and document their academic and professional outcomes for years after. In addition, we report on the results of recruitment activities which have resulted in an increasingly diverse cohort of participants (over 55% of our REU scholars have been female and more than 35% have members of underrepresented minority populations). The role of mentors, targeted outreach, and other factors which can positively impact diversity and inclusiveness will also be discussed. Combining all of the evidence and information provided by our tracking systems has delivered significant insight which can inform the development of effective undergraduate research opportunities, and assist in identifying best practices for continuous improvement of our ongoing REU program site.