REU Students

REU: Photo Gallery

2023 REU Summer Interns


Shehzad Bajowala
University of Illinois Urbana
Advisor: Ali Dhinojwala
Clifford Baker
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Advisor: Kevin Cavicchi
Eric Caldwell
University of Mount Union
Advisor: Mesfin Tsige
Charles Cordts
University of Texas San Antonio
Advisor: Ali Dhinojwala
Cole Garrison
Kenyon College
Advisor: Xiong Gong
Michael William Hill
Stark State College of Technology
Advisor: Weinan Xu
Adam Kalish
The University of Akron
Advisor: Abraham Joy
Connor Krucek
The College of Wooster
Advisor: Sadhan Jana
Sydni McQuilkin
University of Mount Union
Advisor: Chrys Wesdemiotis
Megan Mitchell
The University of Akron
Advisor: James Eagan
Benjamin Pepper
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Advisor: Junpeng Wang
Anthony Toskin
Walsh University
Advisor: Steven Chuang
Aileen (Eunseo) Yeo
The College of Wooster
Advisor: Yu Zhu
2023 REU Group Photo

2022 REU Summer Interns


Kathleen M. Abrams
University of South Carolina
Advisor: Abraham Joy
Md Rafi Ul Azam
Earlham College
Advisor: Yu Zhu
Drake Alexander Barnard Bauerfeind
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Advisor: Kevin Cavacchi
Jack E. Beardshear
Carnegie Mellon University
Advisor: Toshi Miyoshi
Allan Berduo Morales
North Carolina State University
Advisor: Weinan Xu
Danielle Daiger
University of Mount Union
Advisor: Ali Dhinojwala
Ama B. Hackman
Rowan University
Advisor: Ali Dhinojwala
Amy Jindra
Lorain County Community College
Advisor: Kevin Cavicchi
Christopher Junewon Kim
Cornell University
Advisor: James Eagan
Kelly Juhyeong Kim
The College of Wooster
Advisor: Fardin Khabaz
Katie M. Mize
Stark State College
Advisor: Chrys Wesdemiotis
Jared J. Rivera-Otero
University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus
Advisor: Junpeng Wang
Darin Skidmore
Marietta College
Advisor: Mark Foster
Everen Wegner
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Advisor: Mesfin Tsige
Renee E. Wright
Grove City College
Advisor: Yu Zhu
Christina Yu
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Advisor: Chunming Liu
2022 REU Group Photo

2021 REU Summer Interns


Alex Butler
Rowan University
Advisor: H. King
Caleb M. Carr
University of Cincinnati
Advisor: S.Q. Wang
Anthony J. Harmon
Cuyahoga Community College
Advisor: S. Jana
Manwel A. Labib
The University of Akron
Advisor: J. Eagan
Feven Moges Naba
Earlham College
Advisor: A. Dhinojwala
Yancarlos Ramírez-Serpa
University of Puerto Rico in Humacao
Advisor: L. Jia
Maddison Schutt
The University of Akron
Advisor: A. Joy
Ashley Nicole Spirrison
Trine University
Advisor: R. McKenzie
Erin Sturd
University of Kansas
Advisor: J. Wang
Brandon Ugbesia
The University of Massachusetts Amherst
Advisor: M. Tsige
2021 REU Group Photo 2021 REU Group Photo

2019 REU Summer Interns


Rumbila Abdullahi
Smith College
Advisor: J. Wang
Walid Abuhashim
The University of Akron
Advisor: A. Joy
Stephen Adasonla
Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
Advisor: H. Astley
Elizabeth Amory
Rowan University
Advisor: S.Q. Wang
Adam Chan
City College of New York
Advisor: X. Gong
Amanda Dershem
Siena Heights University
Advisor: C. Pugh
Ruth Eckman
Grove City College
Advisor: M. Tsige
Avery Gould
John Carroll University
Advisor: M. Foster
José Luis Peña
Texas A&M University
Advisor: S. Jana
Yuliana Ospina Yepes
Universidad de Antioquia, Columbia
Advisor: A. Joy
Allison Reardon
Hanover College
Advisor: H. King
Claire Senger
University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Advisor: K. Cavicchi
Zane Tolbert
Walsh University
Advisor: C. Wesdemiotis
Khoa Tran
St. Mary's University, TX
Advisor: T. Kyu
Jason Vaughn
Stark State College
Advisor: B. Vogt
Robert Walker
The University of Mount Union
Advisor: R. McKenzie
Megan Yankulov
The University of Mount Union
Advisor: A. Dhinojwala
2019 REU Group Photo

2018 REU Summer Interns


Arame Assane Diouf Katherine Deitrick Addie Keating-Zaid Allyssa Kerr
Reid Bailey
University of Michigan
Advisor: M. Foster
Carrie Bearshak
Ashland University
Advisor: A. Dhinojwala
Phuong Bui
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Advisor: A. Karim
Anna Campbell Sowden
Allegheny College, PA
Advisor: M. Becker
Charles Chirume
Central State University
Advisor: C. Wesdemiotis
Mara Kuenen Mara Kuenen Mara Kuenen Alexander Leong Devin Lewis
William Clay
University of Mount Union
Advisor: A. Joy
Sam Darwish
Carleton College
Advisor: L. Jia
P. Austin Dome
Centre College
Advisors: C. Pugh, S. Jana
Kevin Feezel
The University of Akron
Advisor: M. Tsige
Moriah Kimel
North Carolina State University
Advisor: S. Jana
Lucas Mihlbachler Eli Newby Deliris Ortiz Nicandro Pedroza Brandon Pugnet
Dalia Laredo
Carnegie Mellon University
Advisor: H. Astley
Heather Lee
Washington University in St. Louis
Advisor: T. Kyu
Nancy Le
University of Colorado
Advisor: M. Becker
Gillian Mazurek
Grove City College
Advisor: K. Cavicchi
Joshua Sukie
The University of Akron
Advisor: C. Pugh
Matthew Reed Gabrielle Rey 2018 Group Photo
Christopher Wheatley
Geneva College
Advisor: H. King
Kathryn Wilcox
Texas A&M University
Advisor: N. Zacharia
2018 REU Group Photo

2017 REU Summer Interns


Dorcas Avowlanou Arame Assane Diouf Katherine Deitrick Addie Keating-Zaid Allyssa Kerr
Dorcas Avowlanou
Central State University
Advisor: S. Jana
Arame Assane Diouf
Central State University
Advisor: C. Pugh
Katherine Deitrick
Geneva College
Advisor: B. Vogt
Addie Keating-Zaid
Xavier University
Advisor: C. Wesdemiotis
Allyssa Kerr
Geneva College
Advisor: X. Gong
Mara Kuenen Alexander Leong Devin Lewis Lucas Mihlbachler Eli Newby
Mara Kuenen
Bucknell University
Advisor: L. Jia
Alexander Leong
Case Western Reserve University
Advisor: A. Dhinojwala
Devin Lewis
Stark State College
Advisor: K. Cavicchi
Lucas Mihlbachler
Rose Hulman Institute of Technology
Advisor: N. Zacharia
Eli Newby
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Advisor: H. King
Deliris Ortiz Nicandro Pedroza Brandon Pugnet Matthew Reed Gabrielle Rey
Deliris Ortiz
University of Puerto Rico at Humacao
Advisor: A. Joy
Nicandro Pedroza
Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
Advisor: S. Chuang
Brandon Pugnet
Lafayette College
Advisor: A. Dobrynin
Matthew Reed
West Virginia University
Advisor: D. Simmons
Gabrielle Rey
John Carroll University
Advisor: C. Pugh
Hamna Siddiqui Colby Whitcomb Brandi Williams 2017 Group Photo
Hamna Siddiqui
Denison University
Advisor: H. Astley
Colby Whitcomb
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Advisor: M. Foster
Brandi Williams
University of Pittsburgh
Advisor: Y. Zhu
2017 REU Group Photo

2016 REU Summer Interns


Safiya Best Gregory Brown Amy Caron Clive Chirume Pamela Dees
Safiya Best
Siena Heights University
Advisor: S. Jana
Gregory Brown
The University of Akron
Advisor: B. Vogt
Amy Caron
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Advisor: D. Reneker
Clive Chirume
Central State University
Advisor: K. Cavicchi
Pamela Dees
Central State University
Advisor: C. Pugh
Jason Ewing Emily Ann Gerstein Esther Grossman Kianna Jimenez Anna Kersey
Jason Ewing
Stark State College
Advisor: A. Joy
Emily Ann Gerstein
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Advisor: M. Tsige
Esther Grossman
Ohio University
Advisor: D. Simmons
Kianna Jimenez
Barton College
Advisor: L. Jia
Anna Kersey
Trine University
Advisor: B. Vogt
Olivia Manahan Nate Orndorf Juliana Pasquini Martins Alessandro Perego Lindsay Lee Robinson
Olivia Manahan
Ball State University
Advisor: M. Becker
Nate Orndorf
Grand Valley State University
Advisor: X. Gong
Juliana Pasquini Martins
Colorado State University
Advisor: C. Pugh / T. Kyu
Alessandro Perego
Brigham Young University
Advisor: A. Karim
Lindsay Lee Robinson
College of Wooster
Advisor: M. Becker
Ryan Sayko Timothy Schoch Amy Seymore Sarah Swilley Breanna Tomiczek
Ryan Sayko
Allegheny College
Advisor: A. Dobrynin
Timothy Schoch
California Polytechnic State University
Advisor: K. Cavicchi
Amy Seymore
Lorain Community College
Advisor: N. Zacharia
Sarah Swilley
University of Southern Mississippi
Advisor: C. Wesdemiotis
Breanna Tomiczek
Saint Vincent College
Advisor: G. Newkome
Annette Valceschini Caroline Watt Alexander Weber David Whipkey Daniel Whitcomb
Annette Valceschini
California State University Chico
Advisor: C. Pugh / S. Jana
Caroline Watt
Ohio State University
Advisor: M. Becker
Alexander Weber
The University of Akron
Advisor: M. Tsige / A. Karim
David Whipkey
Washington & Jefferson College
Advisor: M. Foster
Daniel Whitcomb
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Advisor: Y. Zhu
Chelsea Zoltowoski 2016 Group Photo
Chelsea Zoltowoski
Bluffton University
Advisor: A. Dhinojwala
2016 REU Group Photo

2015 REU Summer Interns


Cristel Baterina Anthony Brautigam Erick Brown Joely Carpio Bethany Davidson
Cristel Baterina
The Ohio State University
Advisor: C. Pugh
Anthony Brautigam
The University of Akron
Advisor: C. Wesdemiotis
Erick Brown
St. Mary's University
Advisor: N. Zacharia
Joely Carpio
Florida State University
Advisor: K. Cavicchi
Bethany Davidson
Texas A&M University
Advisor: X. Gong
Janel Dempsey George Eason Jordan Fitch Taylor Freeman Abigail Gresser
Janel Dempsey
John Carroll University
Advisor: T. Kyu
George Eason
Christian Brothers University
Advisor: M. Tsige
Jordan Fitch
University of Mount Union
Advisor: A. Dhinojwala
Taylor Freeman
Washington & Jefferson College
Advisor: L. Jia
Abigail Gresser
Wright State University
Advisor: A. Karim
Oscar Guerrero Andrew Johnson Matthew Knierman Jonathan Lee Michael Martinez
Oscar Guerrero
University of Texas Pan-American
Advisor: A. Dhinojwala
Andrew Johnson
Geneva College
Advisor: B. Vogt
Matthew Knierman
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Advisor: N. Zacharia
Jonathan Lee
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Advisor: D. Simmons
Michael Martinez
California Polytechnic State University
Advisor: A. Joy
Julia Meyer John Meyerhofer Emily OBrien Kelsey Ortiz Katrina Piemonte
Julia Meyer
Stark State College
Advisor: Y. Min
John Meyerhofer
Saint Vincent College
Advisor: M. Foster
Emily O'Brien
The University of Akron
Advisor: M. Becker
Kelsey Ortiz
Trine University
Advisor: S. Jana
Katrina Piemonte
Ithaca College
Advisor: Y. Zhu
Jake Polster Jacob Schimelman Shantel Thomas Group Photo Group Photo
Jake Polster
The College of Wooster
Advisor: B. Vogt
Jacob Schimelman
Case Western Reserve University
Advisor: M. Becker
Shantel Thomas
McMurry University
Advisor: S. Jana
Group Photo Group Photo
Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo
Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo

2014 REU Summer Interns


Brent Hukill Christopher Nardi Drew Finton Erin Farrell Justin Harris
Brent Hukill Christopher Nardi Drew Finton Erin Farrell Justin Harris
Katherine Starr Kim Varney Lisa Wiest Mario Echeverri Mary Ward
Katherine Starr Kim Varney Lisa Wiest Mario Echeverri Mary Ward
Michael Burroughs Morgan Mayfield Nicholas Weiner Patrick Thomas Rebecca Mann
Michael Burroughs Morgan Mayfield Nicholas Weiner Patrick Thomas Rebecca Mann
William Horn ABIA Group Photo REU Conference Photo REU NASA Glenn Trip
William Horn ABIA Group Photo REU Conference Photo REU NASA Glenn Trip

2013 REU Summer Interns


Abdala Bashir Airic Suarez Christopher Henry Jaime Richards Matthew Shaniuk
Abdala Bashir Airic Suarez Christopher Henry Jaime Richards Matthew Shaniuk
Melanie Longanecker Michael Marvin Michael Macinga Miguel Meza Mireille Mballa
Melanie Longanecker Michael Marvin Michael Macinga Miguel Meza Mireille Mballa
Redwana Tabbasum Rodger Dilla Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo
Redwana Tabbasum Rodger Dilla Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo
Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo
Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo

2012 REU Summer Interns


Cameron Glagola Christian Mayfield Daniel Ward Emily Amond Iakov Boyko
Cameron Glagola Christian Mayfield Daniel Ward Emily Amond Iakov Boyko
James Gaillard Kasey Campbell Kelley Chen Lexie Pace Lily Johnson
James Gaillard Kasey Campbell Kelley Chen Lexie Pace Lily Johnson
Marcos Pantoja Robert Medina Roy Anderson Sarah Blosser Shayna Hague
Marcos Pantoja Robert Medina Roy Anderson Sarah Blosser Shayna Hague
Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo
Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo Group Photo
Group Photo
Group Photo 2012

2011 REU Summer Interns


Asa Roy Ashley Lloyd Charles Gilbert Isis Rivera Jared Harris
Asa Roy Ashley Lloyd Charles Gilbert Isis Rivera Jared Harris
Jenileigh Wax John Muryn Julia Deitz Kaitlin Sweany Kaitlynn Wilson
Jenileigh Wax John Muryn Julia Deitz Kaitlin Sweany Kaitlynn Wilson
Ricky Kaiser Robert Glowacki Ronna Boettcher Sindhuja Chari
Ricky Kaiser Robert Glowacki Ronna Boettcher Sindhuja Chari

2010 REU Summer Interns


Kellimarie Neyman Joseph Selinger Pyie Aung Rose Roberts Nicole Kendel
Kellimarie Neyman Joseph Selinger Pyie Aung Rose Roberts Nicole Kendel
Nicholas Moore Grant Riley Gustavo Guzman Carolyn Moore Minna Chen
Nicholas Moore Grant Riley Gustavo Guzman Carolyn Moore Minna Chen
Laura Gonzalez Gina Policastro Katherine Coste Jason Brethorst Seth Barrett
Laura Gonzalez Gina Policastro Katherine Coste Jason Brethorst Seth Barrett
Ben Yohe Jim Burrows Jacob Scherger Megan Forshey Marcos Pantoja
Ben Yohe Jim Burrows Jacob Scherger Megan Forshey Marcos Pantoja
Tyler Pizzute REU Group Picture REU Cookout REU Cookout REU Cookout
Tyler Pizzute REU Group Picture REU Cookout REU Cookout REU Cookout
REU Cookout REU Cookout
REU Cookout REU Cookout

2010 REU Summer Interns in the Lab with Faculty Mentors


Carolyn Moore Carolyn Moore and Dr. Coleen Pugh Carolyn Moore and Dr. Coleen Pugh Gustavo Guzman
2010 REU Intern Carolyn Moore Carolyn Moore and her REU faculty mentor Dr. Coleen Pugh Carolyn Moore and her REU faculty mentor Dr. Coleen Pugh Gustavo Guzman working in the lab
Gustavo Guzman Gustavo Guzman and Dr. Kevin Cavicchi Gustavo Guzman and Dr. Kevin Cavicchi Gustavo Guzman and Dr. Kevin Cavicchi
Gustavo Guzman working in the lab Gustavo Guzman and his REU faculty mentor Dr. Kevin Cavicchi Gustavo Guzman and his REU faculty mentor Dr. Kevin Cavicchi Gustavo Guzman and his REU faculty mentor Dr. Kevin Cavicchi
Gustavo Guzman and Dr. Kevin Cavicchi Gustavo Guzman and Dr. Kevin Cavicchi Seth Barrett Seth Barrett
Gustavo Guzman and his REU faculty mentor Dr. Kevin Cavicchi Gustavo Guzman and his REU faculty mentor Dr. Kevin Cavicchi 2010 REU Intern Seth Barrett Seth Barrett working in the lab
Seth Barrett Seth Barrett Seth Barrett Seth Barrett and Dr. George Newkome
Seth Barrett working in the lab Seth Barrett working in the lab Seth Barrett working in the lab Dr. George Newkome and his REU intern Seth Barrett

2010 Kent State Conference


2010 KSU Conference - 1 2010 KSU Conference - 2 2010 KSU Conference - 3 2010 KSU Conference - 4 2010 KSU Conference - 5
2010 KSU Conference - 6 2010 KSU Conference - 7 2010 KSU Conference - 8 2010 KSU Conference - 9 2010 KSU Conference - 10
2010 KSU Conference - 11 2010 KSU Conference - 12 2010 KSU Conference - 13 2010 KSU Conference - 14 2010 KSU Conference - 16
2010 KSU Conference - 17 2010 KSU Conference - 18 2010 KSU Conference - 19 2010 KSU Conference - 20 2010 KSU Conference - 21
2010 KSU Conference - 22 2010 KSU Conference - 15 2010 KSU Conference - 23 2010 KSU Conference - 24 2010 KSU Conference - 25
2010 KSU Conference - 26 2010 KSU Conference - 27 2010 KSU Conference - 28

2009 REU Summer Interns


REU-2009-1 REU-2009-2 REU-2009-3 REU-2009-4 REU-2009-5
REU-2009-6 REU-2009-7 REU-2009-8 REU-2009-9 REU-2009-10
REU-2009-11 REU-2009-12 REU-2009-13 REU-2009-14 REU-2009-15
REU-2009-16 REU-2009-18 REU-2009-19 REU-2009-20 REU-2009-21
REU-2009-22 REU-2009-23 REU-2009-24

2008 REU Summer Interns


REU-2008-1 REU-2008-2 REU-2008-3 REU-2008-4 REU-2008-5
REU-2008-6 REU-2008-7 REU-2008-8 REU-2008-9 REU-2008-10
REU-2008-11 REU-2008-12 REU-2008-13 REU-2008-14 REU-2008-15

2007 REU Summer Interns


REU07-01 REU07-02 REU07-03 REU07-04 REU07-05
REU07-06 REU07-07 REU07-08 REU07-09 REU07-10
REU07-11 REU07-12 REU07-13 REU07-14 REU07-15
REU-2007 REU-2007-1 REU-2007-2 REU-2007-3 REU-2007-4
REU-2007-5 REU-2007-6 REU-2007-7 REU-2007-8 REU-2007-9
REU-2007-10 REU-2007-11 REU-2007-12 REU-2007-13

2006 REU Summer Interns


Visit to Ashland Chemical in Dublin, Ohio Visit to Ashland Chemical in Dublin, Ohio Academic Career Panel Discussion 7/05/06 Non-Traditional Careers Panel Discussion 7/10/06 Student Presentationon-Traditional Careers Panel Discussion 7/10/06
Visit to Ashland Chemical in Dublin, Ohio Visit to Ashland Chemical in Dublin, Ohio Academic Career Panel Discussion 7/05/06 Non-Traditional Careers Panel Discussion 7/10/06 Student Presentation
Student Presentation
Student Presentation

The summer 2006 program consists of 15 student interns from the following universities: Agnes Scott College, Albany State University, Geneva College, Georgia Inst. of Technology, Grove City College, John Carroll University, Lycoming College, Michigan Technological University, Morehead State University, Mount Union College, Norfolk State University, Ohio State University, Western Illinois University, University of Texas at Austin, Wheaton College.

Majors: Applied Physics, Biochemistry/Molecular Biology, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Physics.

Student comments about the program:

"I think the program is very complete. It is more than a research program. It is a great learning experience at many levels. I decided to go to Akron over working for industry, and I'm very glad I did it. It helped me answer many questions about my career. I was also surrounded by great people. It was a very intellectual community, but at the same time, a lot of fun."

"I liked the fact that different professors were very approachable and seemed to genuinely enjoy sharing their time with us."

"Akron grad students were great to be around! I also enjoyed the few times I was able to be with faculty outside of Goodyear. Grad students, faculty and other interns were all more social than I had expected, and I was fortunate to interact with them both during and after work. Lasting contact with many individuals may be the most valuable aspect of the program for me. Without this social network, I could not have enjoyed Akron nearly as much."

"The orientation was useful in that it provided time for the REU students to become acquainted with each other, some of the faculty and staff, and the overall objective of the program. I believe that it is essential to have this time at the beginning of the program."

"The orientation was helpful, overall. I realize that things like the safety lecture need to be covered, but I've heard that stuff a dozen times. Having said that, I'll probably do something stupid next week and lose a hand or something equally bad."

"The introductory lectures were a bit above my head. I had a hard time following. I had never had any polymer chemistry before Akron and thought that it could have been more general and maybe less information."

"For me (the introductory lectures) were completely necessary because I have never had a polymer course. I referred to the textbook quite frequently when trying to read technical papers."

"I actually really enjoyed the introductory lectures, aside from being sick for the first week and a half! They would have been tough if I hadn't had a solid foundation in organic and physical chemistry, as well as physics, but fortunately I think I've had good preparation in those areas. I don't know how much they helped with my research, per se. I will say that they helped in understanding some of the polymer terminology used by the other interns in their research presentations. Plus, it's good information for me to have as a chemist-in-training, especially since (my college) doesn't offer a course in polymers. It also helped break up that first week a little bit; picking up on the research project that quickly is tough! It's a very steep learning curve! I recommend keeping the lectures. I used the textbook several times during the internship, and I've used it several times since."

"The Friday lunches were good. Keep those. There were a couple of interns that I didn't see much around the dorm, so it was a good opportunity to catch up with them. All the visits were well worth the trip. The visit to Ashland Chemical, in particular, changed some misconceptions I had about the industrial workplace and what to expect from an industrial career. I found it highly informative! (Company X) was less enthralling, but I found it useful, if only for the reason that I now realize that I probably don't want to work for a small company."

"The weekly gatherings were a nice time to get everyone together, although I feel that the first research briefing came too soon. (I had barely started my project at this point.) However, these research briefings provided valuable experience in giving a short, scientific presentation to a group of peers."

"I found there are many things that must be taken into consideration on science from an ethical point of view. The (ethics) workshop did a good job on highlighting some things that could be forgotten easily when doing research."

"I enjoyed (Prof. Foster's) thoughtful presentation of and enthusiasm for the (ethics) subject matter. In particular, discussions on the recording and integrity of our data, proper publication and acknowledgement procedures, case studies in unethical research, and addressing professional approach to problems were useful."

"I learned a lot from (the panel discussions). It gave me some insight to the different jobs available with a chemistry degree. Some of the jobs I did not even know existed or were an option."

"The panel discussions I found to be the most useful meeting held each week. For the most part, the panels were able to answer many questions I had about the differences between the varied career paths in the sciences."

"I enjoyed the faculty seminars because they gave me a feel for what types of research are carried on at a university such as Akron, especially for the varied approaches and thought processes used in determining which research to pursue. It was also interesting to see the different personalities of various professors, and that there was no one "right" personality required to be a successful researcher."

"The faculty seminar series was useful in terms of giving us an appreciation for and broadening our horizons about the research areas in Polymer Science and Engineering. However, with the exception of a few professors, I felt that the information presented was too complex considering our basic knowledge about polymers and the specialized knowledge in the respective areas that we were conducting research."

"I thought the (Northeast Ohio Undergraduate Research) symposium was well organized to be beneficial to us. It was wonderful to hear about the projects other students worked on, present my work to people outside The University of Akron, and have to defend my work independent of my mentor and advisor. I felt especially lucky because I was able to meet a few professors who gave me some useful information regarding internships and Graduate School."

"I think (the Northeast Ohio Undergraduate Research Symposium) was very well organized, and it was a good feeling to be there and show your accomplishments to other students. I also felt very proud to be part of the Akron program because everyone had a successful experience."

"The Akron 50th Anniversary symposium was a great end to the internship! The technical talks were really good, and the picnic was fun. It was a good sendoff for all the interns."

"I would (and have) highly recommend the (UAkron REU) program, or similar programs, to anyone considering graduate school. I had done research before coming for the summer, but this was a very different experience. At Akron, I had to learn how to work in a group, as well as on my own, and was under real pressure to complete the project in a fixed time frame. This was a great introduction to graduate school. It was tough, no question about it, but I'm excited about graduate school and still have every intention of going. The summer at Akron showed me some things to watch out for, but also cleared up some misconceptions I had about what graduate-level research is like. Overall, I was very encouraged by what I experienced!"

"I loved the research and the opportunities that the university opened for me. I learned how to use several instruments and how to present my research. My advisor was helpful and made sure that I was always busy; he kept me in the lab instead of reading journals the whole time. I appreciated all the hands on experience I received and the independence that was given to me as well as the much needed guidance from my mentor and advisor."

"I was particularly impressed about how organized the entire program was - form the initial contacts sent confirming acceptance to the program, through to the final day when the program ended. I also liked the fact that there was a sense of camaraderie and fellowship among the interns, and that there was open communication and dialogue with the professors. The PSSO officers and the other graduate students, for the most part, were very friendly and made the overall experience better, by giving assistance in the laboratory, showing us around the area, and participating in activities. The housing accommodations were also commendable, and the Housing and Residence Life Staff were extremely cooperative in sorting out any residential issues and/or concerns. At the end of the summer, I can truly say that the REU program was a rewarding one and all the individuals responsible for the successful hosting deserve to be lauded."


2005 REU Summer Interns


REU05-01 REU05-02 REU05-03 REU05-04 REU05-05
REU05-06 REU05-07 REU05-08 REU05-09 REU05-10
REU05-11 REU05-12

The summer 2005 program consisted of 12 student interns from the following universities: Baldwin-Wallace College, Benedictine College, MIT, Mount Union College, Ohio University, Texas A&M University, University of Akron, University of Michigan, University of Southern Mississippi, Vanderbilt University, and Youngstown State University.

Majors: Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Mathematics or Polymer Science

Student comments about the program:

"The orientation was very informative and gave me a good foundation on which to begin, expectations were laid out, introductions were made and tour of the building and pertinent parts of campus made me feel comfortable and welcome."

"I liked having my own specific research project to work on."

"Overall, I enjoyed the program a lot. I think Dr. Gujrati contributed to this quite a bit- although the program as a whole I thought was very worthwhile as well."

"Everything was great! I felt very independent working in Dr. Pugh's lab."

"I enjoyed the trips to NASA and Advanced Elastomers the most. I also enjoyed the concert at Blossom."

"Trips taken offered great insight into what can be accomplished in this field and the benefits of attending graduate school, they gave me a sense empowerment, made me feel as if I could really make great accomplishments!"

"Dr. Mattice was a great research mentor. He provided a challenging but very rewarding project."

"Dr. Foster is probably the most methodical and efficient man I've ever met. I'd recommend him, I think I learned a lot."

"I really enjoyed visiting Spectra, as it was a small company and we really got to see what was going on and what specific chemistry they were using to build a business."

"I would highly recommend Dr. Newkome and his group. I learned an immeasurable amount from the group."

"The weekly gatherings were helpful. I especially enjoyed the trip to NASA, although all the trips I think were worthwhile."

"My mentor, Dr. Pugh, served a great example to show what women can achieve in science, it is inspiring to be guided by such an accomplished scientist and I continue to enjoy working with Dr. Pugh."

"I thought that the symposium at the end of the conference was a good time to see what other areas of research exist and also it was a great time to network with people that will be the leaders of my field."

"I think the symposium at the end of the summer was a good experience in presenting scientific work and made it possible to not just say 'I conducted research', but say 'I conducted research and presented the results...', which I think greatly enhanced the experience."

"I had a great time and learned a lot from my time at Akron. I think that the only thing that I would change would be to require people to live in the dorms. I just saw that it took about the whole summer to actually start hanging out with the people that were living at home and I really think that they missed part of the experience of an REU."

"The coordination with the Math REU students was a really good idea. I also liked the idea of pairing Math kids with Polymer kids for the suites."


2004 REU Summer Interns


REU04-01 REU04-02 REU04-03 REU04-04 REU04-05
REU04-06 REU04-07 REU04-08 REU04-09 REU04-10

The summer 2004 program consisted of 14 student interns from the following universities: Ashland University, Mississippi Valley State University, Mount Union College, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, Texas A&M University, University of Akron, University of Tulsa, Washington & Jefferson University, Youngstown State University.

Majors: Biology, Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics or Physics.

Student comments about the program:

"Of course, I learned a lot of things, including how to operate the Molecular Dynamics Simulation programming, while working on my project. It was a very good experience to work in a top institution of polymer science research in the world."

"The orientation provided me with most of the information that was needed."

"I would definitely recommend Dr. Sokolov for future students. He has a number of research projects appropriate for undergraduates to take part in and a great research group that is very helpful and has a good attitude."

"I liked the diversity of the students in the college."

"I loved the Friday group lunches. Those were awesome and I enjoyed hearing about everybody's progress as well as hearing from people from outside groups that none of us normally see."

"I enjoyed visiting Bayer the most, but all three trips were a great learning experience. The weekly meetings could have been shorter. I enjoyed hearing about the research being done by graduate students the most. I also liked hearing the faculty presentations."

"I really liked working for Dr. Pugh's group in that I was able to do 'real' research--in other words, something a real graduate student would do, and not some tried-and-true experiment. I definitely think that it gave me a feel for graduate school."

"Dr. Quirk was a wonderful faculty mentor. He paired me up with a great grad student and was always available to answer questions, unless he was at a conference."

"The trips and weekly gatherings were good because you were able to see what the other students were working on, even if you didn't totally understand it. I liked Firestone the best because they actually showed you labs and processes, instead of just physical types of experiments and tests."

"Ali Dhinojwala is an excellent mentor. He was very helpful while I interned and he has continued to be helpful after I left Akron, especially with recommendation letters and advice. I highly recommend him for any future interns."

"Drs. Newkome and Moorefield are wonderful people and mentors and I would recommend them to anybody."

"I liked visiting Goodyear. The trips to the companies were very interesting. It allowed the interns to really see all of the processes that actually went into a tire."

"Dr. Gujrati was great. Had a lot of time to help me. Very available, very knowledgeable. Great guy."

"I enjoyed the opportunity to present my research orally at the symposium because I feel that you can never speak in front of a crowd too much, and presenting chemical information makes speaking in public that much harder."

"I thought (the symposium) was a great experience. I learned how to share my research with others and answer any questions. I also enjoyed hearing about the research being done at Case Western Reserve University."

"I took my poster to the Conference on Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research and won an award for best poster."

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Email: polymerreu@uakron.edu