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REU Students

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering

SUMMER 2024 INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Program Dates

  • June 3 - August 2, 2024
  • Deadline to Apply for the 2024 REU Program: February 9, 2024.

Overview

The School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering offers a competitive summer research experience for undergraduate (REU) students. Students will participate in a 9-week summer internship to investigate a fundamental question within the broad disciplines of polymer science and polymer engineering including polymer chemistry, polymer physics, polymer characterization, and biomaterials.

Each week, all interns will participate in research activities, a career development activity and discussions outlining their research progress. The group will also visit regional companies and a laboratory. The summer will culminate with an oral or poster presentation of each intern’s research results at the annual Northeast Ohio Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Support for Summer 2024 (9 weeks) is $5,850 and accommodations in the Exchange Dormitory. The internships are sponsored by the National Science Foundation, The University of Akron, and corporate sponsors. To be eligible for the stipends, participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. Self-funded international students are encouraged to apply with the proof of financial support.

The School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering is located in the Goodyear Polymer Center and the Polymer Engineering Academic Center. The school has state-of-the-art laboratories with research instrumentation in NMR spectroscopy, chromatography, thermal analysis, rheooptics, x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and molecular biology.

The research team will consist of graduate students, interns, post-doctoral research associates and faculty members from the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering (SPSPE) with specific research interests that align with their role in the four cluster areas (R1) Polymer Chemistry, (R2) Polymer Physics, (R3) Polymer Engineering and (R4) Biomaterials.

Eligibility

  • Current full-time enrollment in a U.S. college or university
  • Participants must be at least 18 years old on the first day of the program
  • To be eligible for the stipends, participants must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S.
  • Self-funded international students are encouraged to apply with the proof of financial support
  • Persons from groups underrepresented in science are strongly encouraged to apply
  • Applications from students with disabilities are encouraged and will be accommodated through the Office of Accessibility
  • Applications from students with limited research opportunities or from 2 year institutions are highly encouraged

LINKS & RESOURCES

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It is the policy of this institution that there shall be no unlawful discrimination against any individual in employment or in its programs or activities at the University of Akron because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, military status, genetic information, or status as a veteran. The University of Akron prohibits sexual harassment of any form in all aspects of employment and in its programs and activities and prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual and racial or ethnic orientation in employment and admissions.