The MADE in SC initiative will lead to high impact discoveries and have a significant translational impact on SC educational institutions, increasing the pipeline of highly trained students at all levels. Inasmuch as advanced materials are critical to a broad range of technologies, MADE in SC will play a critical role in the economic growth and vitality of the state and nation. The project outcomes will position MADE in SC among the most capable academic organizations for materials research in the world.
MADE in SC will provide transformative and translational training and research activities across the STEM educational spectrum through the engagement of a cohesive network of CRU, PUI and technical institutions, cooperatively contributing to the knowledge base critical for an integrated approach to advanced materials design, assembly and manufacture.
Objectives of MADE in SC include:
- Develop a well-trained pipeline of students
- Develop/Offer New Curricula (USC-B, CofC, Claflin, Furman, USC, Winthrop)
- Develop and provide 3-D experiences/interactive models for use by USC undergrads, distance learners, SC technical colleges and the non-college-educated community
- Provide research experiences for undergraduates, “MADE in SC Research Fellows” (Claflin, Clemson, CofC, Furman, SCSU, USC-B, Winthrop)
- Provide annual research conference for MADE in SC Student Fellows
- Establish and maintain a public, web-accessible SC research database with contact information and areas of expertise for faculty and STEM educators
- Train educators to engage pre-college students in advanced materials exposures
- Provide 6-week HS teacher research experiences
- Provide 2-week HS Materials Science Workshops for training HS teachers on content delivery to the classroom
- Develop and issue integrated, hands on modules and demonstration kits for HS teachers at 2 or more schools
- Engage HS teachers in Advanced Materials for Teachers camps offered in Materials Engineering
- Develop a well-trained pipeline of students
Dr. John Wheeler – MADE in SC Workforce Development
Dr. John Kaup – 2020 Research Experience for Teachers (RET)
New Faculty Hires for the New M.S. Degree in Computational Science at USC Beaufort
MADE in SC will implement multiple strategic activities and initiatives aimed at increasing diversity in SC materials research and education and in STEM fields statewide by (1) attracting faculty from underrepresented minority groups (URM) and other underserved populations (e.g., gender in NSF-identified STEM fields); (2) increasing diversity of the graduate and undergraduate student populations engaged in materials science research, and (3) providing focused training for high school teachers interacting with highly diverse and underserved populations in their home institutions.
Objectives of MADE in SC include:
- Recruit and support a diverse faculty engaged in advanced materials research
- Increase participation of URM graduate students in materials research departments
- Increase statewide education and best practices for hiring of diverse faculty, and recruitment, engagement and retention of a diverse student pipeline
- Establish and nurture a diverse pipeline of K-12 and undergraduate students
- Support research opportunities for URM/underserved SC undergraduates
- Train high school educators working in the SC STEM pipeline in schools that exhibit high URM diversity and high financial need