REU Site: 3D Printing of NextGen Multifunctional Batteries

This three-year REU Site: 3D Printing of NextGen Multifunctional Batteries is hosted by Texas A&M University (TAMU) and partners with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Undergraduates will engage in 10-week summer research projects featuring additive manufacturing, testing, and modeling of multifunctional batteries (printable multifunctional batteries to power vehicles and autonomy for remote operations). Students will gain hands-on experience in multifunctional batteries, addressing a critical gap in the knowledge and skills needed by the emerging professional STEM workforce. The REU site offers students the opportunity to engage in professional networks, deepen relationships with industry, and leverage the unique resources and support of both universities. Participants will contribute to sustainable energy solutions and influence future technological development. The REU site at UTEP will focus on 3D printing and characterizing multifunctional batteries, and the site at TAMU on synthesizing new active material systems for 3D printing, as well as modeling and performing electromechanical durability tests. Research projects feature multifunctional battery components that are both conformable and structural, with dual-energy storage and load-bearing capabilities and innovative 3D printing techniques used to customize batteries to meet specific design requirements. At the end of the summer, REU students will present their work at a battery development facility in Houston, near the NASA Johnson Space Center. The REU students will develop world-class skills in energy storage for additive manufacturing and scientific research, preparing them for successful potential careers in industry, national laboratories, and academia. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.