REU Site: Engaging Undergraduate Students in Converting Waste to Sustainable Materials

Solid waste from construction, agricultural, industrial, and municipal sectors accumulates rapidly, straining landfill capacity, degrading ecosystems, and hurting human health. Converting this waste into sustainable chemicals and materials would simultaneously reduce environmental burdens and supply new raw materials to the chemical and construction industries. However, doing so requires a trained workforce that does not currently exist on a large scale. This REU Site at the University of Louisville addresses that gap. Over three years, the program will engage 24 undergraduate students in hands-on, faculty-mentored research on waste-to-value conversion, equipping them with the technical skills, professional preparation, and career awareness needed to contribute to a sustainable materials economy. The site is open to all Americans. By connecting undergraduate education to one of society's most pressing environmental challenges, this program advances NSF's mission to promote scientific progress and national welfare. This REU Site at the University of Louisville will host eight undergraduate participants annually in a 10-week summer research experience with a focus on converting solid waste, including lignocellulosic biomass, waste plastics, and rubber tires, into sustainable materials and chemicals. The program pursues four objectives: (1) building student understanding of waste-to-value science and its technological, social, and economic dimensions; (2) developing research competencies through the SODOTO (See One, Do One, Teach One) pedagogical framework; (3) strengthening critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills through use-inspired research projects with faculty mentors; and (4) preparing students for STEM careers in academia, industry, and government. Program activities include weekly research seminars, professional development workshops, and industrial site visits to local chemical and materials companies, and poster and manuscript preparation. Students are also encouraged to present their findings at regional and national conferences. These design features advance student self-efficacy, critical thinking, project management, and long-term retention in STEM. 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.