NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

Ceramics are used in many industries and various applications that range from thermal insulators for spacecraft to more practical applications like bricks for building foundations. The Black Hills Applied Ceramic Engineering (BACE) REU Site will focus on ceramics from a holistic perspective, to encompass the archeological, cultural, and technical understanding and utility of ceramic materials.  The BACE REU Site will establish an immersive educational and research experience for students from diverse backgrounds in cutting-edge projects that are tied to both the local geology, ceramic science/engineering, and culture. The program provides unique research opportunities from cultural heritage science to mineral processing to advance materials formulation, manufacturing, and performance. The team consists of a consortium of collaborative mentors from the Rosebud Sioux Tribe as well as multiple departments at South Dakota Mines.