Goals of the TEAMS program

The world around us is a very complex system.  While we can perform experiments to better understand science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), certain phenomena can only be understood through computational models. The goal of this program is to expose undergraduate students pursuing degrees in STEM fields to modeling research and what role it plays in advancing our understanding of STEM fields.

The goal of any model is to better understand real phenomena.  The exchange of information requires a team effort between both modelers and experimentalists. As such, the other goal of this program is to develop teamwork skills for all participants.  As such, we have included a number of novel activities to develop teamwork skills including intellectual diversity awareness and using cooperative board games to improve your effectiveness as a team member.

Program Timeline

We are currently accepting applications for the program and will start review candidates March 3rd.  The application process will be closed as soon as all of the applicants have been officially selected. Upon official selection, your mentor will provide materials to read related to the background of your project.

NOTE: we have accepted our 10 candidates, so applications are now closed for 2017.  Thank you for your interest.

The program's activities start June 1st where students will meet their mentors, their fellow students, and students from other REU programs.  The South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T) currently hosts four separate REU in the areas of modeling, metallurgy, electrical engineering, and anti-counterfeiting. Some of the social events like the welcome barbeque and the visit to the Crazy Horse Memorial will be shared between the sites.

After arriving, you will engage in an intense 9-week program where you will learn a number of things, detailed below, and get a strong headstart on your research.  You will be paid a stipend for your efforts including room and board while you are here.

After the 9-weeks are over, you will head back to your home institution where you will finish your research.  Modeling takes time, because computers are only so fast.  However, because they are computers, you do not need to be physically present to work on this type of research.  Working remotely and collaborating across large distances is becoming a trend in STEM fields, and we seek to prepare you for that work environment.  Over the calendar year, you will finish your research project under the guidance of your mentors.  In addition, you will still receive a stipend reflecting the amount of time you are expected to work per week (~10 hrs/week). 

At the end of the calendar year, you will present your findings to all of the REU participants (mentors and students) and put together a rough draft for publishing your results in an established journal like Journal of Physical Chemistry B or Biophysical Journal. 

Program Activities

In general, you will be performing research using models.  You will have the opportunity to experience the experimental side of the research in some context, but the bulk of the work will be modeling.  Your mentors will work with you on the physics/math/chemistry/biology/etc... of the project, the specifics of how to run the models, and how to interpret their results. 

A number of supporting activities will be offered to improve your research skills.  These include:

• Library Research - learn how to fully utilize our library resources and find articles of pertinence to your work
• Communication Seminars - develop important writing and presentation skills to share your results with non-experts
• Professional Modeling Luncheon Webinars - hear from engineers and scientists in industry and government on how they use models in the real world over lunch
• Data Analysis Workshop - learn and practice the principles of large data set analysis (i.e. make sense of all the data you generate)
• Verification and Validation - experience how professionals validate their models so the results can be translated to experimental works
• Ethics in Engineering and Science - learn how to approach research in an ethical manner to do no harm to humans and the environment

As mentioned already, the other focus of this site is teamwork development.  In general, we want to develop a number of "professional skills" (like teamwork) to train you as effective engineers and scientists. The workshops for that include:

• GEAR-UP outreach - mentor American Indian high school students and help them plan a "mission"
• Career Management and Resume Writing - practice valuable skills for writing resumes and landing interviews
• Profile of the Successful Student - learn from experts on the best practices to be a successful student and productive member of your research team
• Teamwork Development - use board games to learn how to best work in a team environment
• Intellectual Diversity - understand your own unique intellectual profile and utilize that knowledge to best work with others
• Make the Transition - learn the best practices to either transition to a higher degree program
• Transition from a community or Tribal College to a four-year university
• Transition from a Bachelor's degree to a graduate program