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Research Experience for Undergraduates

The Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina (USC) is pleased to announce their National Science Foundation (NSF) Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program for 2017! Summer Participants will have the opportunity to conduct research in an academic setting under the direction of one of our full-time faculty members. Students will perform research involving the study of nanostructured materials, heterogeneous catalysis, spectroscopy, reaction engineering, electrochemistry, and molecular simulation to advance the understanding of processes and materials that underpin combustion, CO2 capture and storage, and the chemical conversion of CO2 to fuels and chemicals. Emphasis will be placed on using the state-of-the-art experimental and computational facilities available at USC. Special events such as seminars, workshops, visits to local industries, and socials are also planned throughout the summer.

Cradle to the Grave - CO2 Opportunities and Challenges

Thrust Areas:

  • Power Generation
  • Capture of CO2 at the Power Generation Source
  • CO2 Utilization (i.e., catalytic, electrochemical, and solar conversion)
  • CO2 Sequestration
  • CO2 Reduction through Biofuels Production

Important Dates:

  • Check-in: Sunday, May 21st, 2017
  • Welcome Reception: Sunday, May 21st (likely late afternoon, early evening)
  • Final Presentations: Thursday, July 27th
  • Check-out: Friday, July 28th

Financial Provisions:

  • Ten-week stipend of $4,800
  • Free on-campus apartment-style housing, including a living room, full kitchen and washer and dryer. Take the virtual tour
  • Round trip travel expenses to Columbia, SC up to $500

Download the 2017 REU application in either Word, or, PDF format.

The program is limited to U.S. citizens and permanent residents of the U.S. Applicants must be enrolled in a Chemical Engineering or related program and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0. Students graduating in or before August 2017 are not eligible. Interested students should submit the completed application form along with the requested supporting materials by March 17, 2017.

Send Application Materials electronically to CO2REU.  To see information from previous summer REU programs in Chemical Engineering at USC, click on some of the links below. 

REU 1998 REU 1999 REU 2000
1998 1999 2000
 REU 2001  REU 2002  REU 2003
2001 2002 2003
 REU 2004  REU 2005  REU 2006
2004 2005 2006
 REU 2007  REU 2008  REU 2010
2007 2008 2010
    REU 2016
2014 2015 2016

About the Department:

The Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Carolina has 23 full time faculty members, ~85 graduate students (with >90% being Ph.D. candidates), and ~200 undergraduates. It occupies space in one third of the Swearingen Engineering Center, and about 40% of the new Horizon Building. The recent PhD program survey data released by the National Research Council ranked USC Chemical Engineering in the top 30 in the nation. Columbia is strategically located in the center of South Carolina, within a two-hour drive of the South Carolina Beaches (e.g., Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head Island), and the North Carolina Mountains (e.g., Asheville, Smoky Mountain National Park).

Please email CO2REU for general questions regarding the application process and administrative details of the REU Program.

Disclaimer:

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Nos. DMR-0097701, EEC-0097695, DMR-9732227, EEC-9732345, EEC-0243726 and EEC-0851997. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation (NSF).