The PENN-MRSEC is offering summer fellowships to high school science teachers to participate in a NSF-sponsored ‘Research Experience for Teachers’ program that will run June 26-Aug 4, 2000. Four local high school teachers will each work on an individual materials research project with a faculty member from the departments of Chemistry or Materials Science and Engineering.

Each teacher will learn a specific instrumental technique that is seminal to the research interests of the group, e.g. x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, etc., which he/she will use to conduct a research assignment pertinent to the goals of the group. At the end of the six-week project the teacher will be expected to give a 15 minute presentation on his/her work to the rest of the RET and REU groups.

The teachers will interact with undergraduates in our summer REU program in at least three ways. They will interact with individual undergraduates who are also working in their research mentor’s group, they will attend weekly REU lectures given by MRSEC-associated faculty, and they will be invited to participate in all REU activities.

An additional goal for this project will be to work with the teacher to produce a training video, based on each technique, that utilizes the skills attained during the research project. This video will last approximately 20-30 minutes and can be used by the teacher in his/her classroom when appropriate. The videos will also be made available to the Philadelphia School District. In addition, follow-up visits to the LRSM by the teachers and their pupils may be arranged to allow their classes to view the equipment used in the summer research projects and be exposed to other aspects of materials research.

Teachers will be selected from public and private schools in the Delaware Valley that are within commuting distance of the PENN MRSEC. Teacher's stipends will be at their regular school rate for this six week period.

The following MRSEC faculty members will accept teachers for research experience in the topics listed below.

Prof. John E. Fischer, Materials Science and Engineering
‘A study of the electrochemical properties of carbon-based materials and their application to battery research’

Prof. Russell Composto, Materials Science and Engineering
‘ Application of Contact Angle Goniometry and Ellipsometry to study the adhesion of cells’

Prof. Karen Winey, Materials Science and Engineering
‘The use of Low Angle X-ray Diffraction to study the properties of crystalline polymers and co-polymers’

Prof. Hai-Lung Dai, Chemistry
‘Non-linear Optical Probing of molecular adsorption on microparticles in colloids’

For further information contact Dr. Andrew R. McGhie at mcghie@lrsm.upenn.edu

Dr. A. R. McGhie, Associate Director
Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter
University of Pennsylvania
3231 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6202
 
Tel. (215) 898-6461
Fax (215) 898-8296