The REU Site in Nanotechnology for Health, Energy and the Environment: Best Practices for Enhancing Research Skills, Professional Development, and Diversity

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site in Nanotechnology for Health, Energy, and the Environment has been supported for the past thirteen years 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 over 120 participant feedback via surveys and interviews by an external reviewer allows us to analyze the effectiveness of the summer activities as the program has continued to evolve. Tracking personally 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 60% of our REU scholars have been female and more than 40% have members of historically underrepresented minority groups). The role of targeted outreach, the development of valuable professional development and social activities, and other factors which can positively impact diversity and inclusiveness are also 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.