This is the first summer that all TECS students could participate in the program. Previously, only textile engineering<\/a> (TE) students had the opportunity for paid summer REUs due to enhancement fees they pay to the College of Engineering<\/a> throughout the school year. That discrepancy in opportunity didn\u2019t sit well with TECS Department Head Dr. Jeff Joines, so he set out to change it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve been raising gift money to try to cover so that our polymer and color chemistry students and our textile technology students would have a similar opportunity,\u201d Joines says. \u201cBecause for me it\u2019s about giving opportunities of experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These expanded opportunities came at the perfect time, as the pandemic continued to create roadblocks for those looking to gain hands-on experience. Many students say they had to change their summer plans in response to COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve really been wanting to get into a lab since COVID. It’s really been just learning, just watching from afar,\u201d senior polymer and color chemistry<\/a> (PCC) student Shane Harrington says. \u201cI really want to get hands-on experience because at the end of the day, learning from a book or a PowerPoint is one thing, but physically being there and doing it is going to be monumental when you’re going into a career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n During their time in the lab, REU students made measurable progress in research ranging from cardiac stem cells to hydrophobic finishes made from sustainable processes to product development. That exposure taught them lessons about the research process that a classroom setting simply can\u2019t offer, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working in a professional research lab day in and day out also means becoming familiar with the skills, procedures and processes that apply to graduate school or an industry setting. Ultimately, this familiarity translates to confidence. That\u2019s true for Luis Martinez, who credits his REU with solidifying his desire to earn a Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n \u201cJust working in the lab, getting more comfortable with my skills,\u201d Martinez says. \u201cJust knowing that every day I come in and I run the epoxidation, I feel like I’ve gotten more efficient with my time and being able to use lab equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The REU provided students with knowledge about not only conducting research in graduate school, but also what it means to be a graduate student. Working closely with graduate students allowed undergraduates to envision what the experience would really<\/i> look like for them rather than relying only on information available from a tour or website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “[Graduate student Caitlin Knowles] has been absolutely awesome at helping me understand the transition process into grad school. I’m gaining a lot of connections and knowledge about a process that I previously had no knowledge of before,\u201d senior PCC student Molly Pruett says. \u201cI’ve kind of shifted my path from, \u2018I’m not going to go to grad school.\u2019 to \u2018I’m going to go to grad school, and actually, textiles is a really good place for me to go to grad school.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These candid conversations about graduate school represent a win for Joines and NEXT<\/a> Fusion Designer Amanda Mills, who want to help students realize that earning a Ph.D. is both accessible and financially attainable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon’t get me wrong, you still need good grades. You need a 3.0 GPA and you need to show that you’re dedicated, but really grad school and research isn’t about how smart you are. That’s so not even a factor,\u201d Dr. Mills emphasizes. \u201cIt’s not about your talents. It’s really about, \u2018Are you curious and are you persistent?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to paying for graduate school, Joines says students sometimes aren\u2019t aware that tuition can be largely paid for through grants, scholarships and other sources of funding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In another effort to make graduate school accessible to students from all economic backgrounds, Joines eliminated financial barriers from the department’s REU. He says students who have to work to support their education simply don\u2019t have time to add research to their schedules during the school year, and many research opportunities offered during the summer don\u2019t pay. Every student in this research program earned $15 per hour for their work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With an increased student base secured, Joines asked Mills to help him run the REU program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI challenged her to provide professional development and diversity and help students to think about going to grad school,\u201d Joines says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mills faced that challenge head on, scheduling community events and workshops that taught students how to prepare for job interviews, spruce up their resumes and identify unconscious bias in research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An impactful internship with Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago inspired Mills\u2019 approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI really drew on that. I thought about, \u2018Alright, well what did I learn there?\u2019\u201d Mills says. \u201cI was always kind of a workshop nerd. I liked going to workshops, if not just for a break in my day but also for that additional skill building. So I really wanted to kind of take what we did there, and really kind of hone it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She says she\u2019s noticing the effect this programming has on students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have really enjoyed seeing some of their independence grow. You know, it’s so scary, and this is true of any new job, when you first get there. You’re kind of timid. You’re like, \u2018Alright, I don’t want to break anything. Can someone help show me what to do?\u2019\u201d Mills says. \u201cSo now, it’s really cool to see the students take a little bit more ownership of their work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students can take what they\u2019ve accomplished during these 10 weeks far beyond this summer. Their work often results in published papers or continued research in the fall semester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Grants and the generosity of faculty made this summer\u2019s expanded TECS REU program at Wilson College possible. Additional funding will be necessary in order for this level of programming to return next year. If you want to contribute to the valuable experiential learning of the next generation of textile industry leaders, please donate to the TECS Enhancement Fund.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to a number of workshops on professional development, students also had the opportunity for personal development. Wilson\u2019s Associate Director of Student Services Delisha Hinton led the session, which a number of students listed as one of the most impactful parts of REU. By Sarah Stone<\/p>\n\n\n\n Graduate student Meghan Lord walks into Duke Energy Hall at Hunt Library and eagerly scans the crowd. Soon, she spots the student she\u2019s searching for and her face lights up. \u201cCongratulations!\u201d she tells him. \u201cYou did it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She\u2019s speaking to Luis Martinez, who\u2019s presenting about his contributions to their research on sustainable hydrophobic textile finishings at the university\u2019s Undergraduate Research Symposium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Martinez is just one of 29 Wilson College of Textiles students who traded a summer vacation for 10 weeks immersing themselves in the life of a graduate student through the Textile Engineering, Chemistry and Science<\/a> (TECS) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU). Students applied to the program and were matched with a lab based on their interests. They work hand in hand with Ph.D. students and faculty on existing projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the first summer that all TECS students could participate in the program. Previously, only textile engineering<\/a> (TE) students had the opportunity for paid summer REUs due to enhancement fees they pay to the College of Engineering<\/a> throughout the school year. That discrepancy in opportunity didn\u2019t sit well with TECS Department Head Dr. Jeff Joines, so he set out to change it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve been raising gift money to try to cover so that our polymer and color chemistry students and our textile technology students would have a similar opportunity,\u201d Joines says. \u201cBecause for me it\u2019s about giving opportunities of experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These expanded opportunities came at the perfect time, as the pandemic continued to create roadblocks for those looking to gain hands-on experience. Many students say they had to change their summer plans in response to COVID-19.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve really been wanting to get into a lab since COVID. It's really been just learning, just watching from afar,\u201d senior polymer and color chemistry<\/a> (PCC) student Shane Harrington says. \u201cI really want to get hands-on experience because at the end of the day, learning from a book or a PowerPoint is one thing, but physically being there and doing it is going to be monumental when you're going into a career.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n During their time in the lab, REU students made measurable progress in research ranging from cardiac stem cells to hydrophobic finishes made from sustainable processes to product development. That exposure taught them lessons about the research process that a classroom setting simply can\u2019t offer, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Working in a professional research lab day in and day out also means becoming familiar with the skills, procedures and processes that apply to graduate school or an industry setting. Ultimately, this familiarity translates to confidence. That\u2019s true for Luis Martinez, who credits his REU with solidifying his desire to earn a Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJust working in the lab, getting more comfortable with my skills,\u201d Martinez says. \u201cJust knowing that every day I come in and I run the epoxidation, I feel like I've gotten more efficient with my time and being able to use lab equipment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The REU provided students with knowledge about not only conducting research in graduate school, but also what it means to be a graduate student. Working closely with graduate students allowed undergraduates to envision what the experience would really<\/i> look like for them rather than relying only on information available from a tour or website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \"[Graduate student Caitlin Knowles] has been absolutely awesome at helping me understand the transition process into grad school. I'm gaining a lot of connections and knowledge about a process that I previously had no knowledge of before,\u201d senior PCC student Molly Pruett says. \u201cI've kind of shifted my path from, \u2018I'm not going to go to grad school.\u2019 to \u2018I'm going to go to grad school, and actually, textiles is a really good place for me to go to grad school.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"PCC](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108100815\/shane-harrington-1-1024x576.jpeg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u201cI didn\u2019t realize how much literature you have to read, and I think as long as it takes me, I feel like I do learn just from reading the literature and being able to apply what I learned into the lab,\u201d senior PCC student Luis Martinez says.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u201cAllocate more time than you think you need \u2013 always,\u201d senior PCC student Molly Pruett says. \u201cYou realize pretty quickly when you refer to your Gantt chart that you were very idealistic about the way that the project was going to go at the beginning of the summer.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMake sure you write down everything you did so you don\u2019t get to the end, and you\u2019re like, \u2018Where did this data come from? Why is that different?\u2019\u201d junior TE student Reid Barnett explains.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u201cLearning in a classroom, it’s always a streamlined experiment. Usually you know it’s going to work out. And this, you don’t know if it’s going to work out,\u201d Harrington says. \u201cYou have to work with the experiment and the understanding that it might not work out and that you have to find a viable solution to what went wrong, and sometimes there’s not a right answer.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n![\"undergrad](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108100815\/IMG_6226-edit-feature-2-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"undergraduate](\"https:\/\/tex-cloud-cdn.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/textiles-ncsu\/20231108100814\/IMG_6262-2-1-1024x576.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHelp Provide Opportunities for Students<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Unconscious Bias in Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201c[The workshop] made me kind of see things from a different perspective,\u201d Martinez says.
Hinton helped students understand the definition of unconscious bias, shared examples of its impacts on artificial intelligence and the medical field, and challenged the audience to reflect on ways that such bias could be sneaking into their own work.
\u201cI would say unconscious bias and research is becoming a little bit more of a popular topic, because there’s been this unearthing of thinking of \u2018Okay, within medicine or within the medical field, it’s not applicable to all people. Historically, it has been for primarily white males, and so that doesn’t fit for the majority of the population,\u2019 Hinton explains. \u201cAnd so how do you start changing that?\u201d
She hopes what students learned during their time with her will leave an impression on their time as a student and on into their careers.<\/p>\n","protected":false,"raw":"\n\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u201cI didn\u2019t realize how much literature you have to read, and I think as long as it takes me, I feel like I do learn just from reading the literature and being able to apply what I learned into the lab,\u201d senior PCC student Luis Martinez says.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u201cAllocate more time than you think you need \u2013 always,\u201d senior PCC student Molly Pruett says. \u201cYou realize pretty quickly when you refer to your Gantt chart that you were very idealistic about the way that the project was going to go at the beginning of the summer.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMake sure you write down everything you did so you don\u2019t get to the end, and you\u2019re like, \u2018Where did this data come from? Why is that different?\u2019\u201d junior TE student Reid Barnett explains.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>\u201cLearning in a classroom, it's always a streamlined experiment. Usually you know it's going to work out. And this, you don't know if it's going to work out,\u201d Harrington says. \u201cYou have to work with the experiment and the understanding that it might not work out and that you have to find a viable solution to what went wrong, and sometimes there's not a right answer.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n