IREAAMU NSF-REU Site

Interdisciplinary Research Experiences in Advanced Air Mobility for Undergraduates

Collaborative REU

International students enrolled full-time at the City University of Hong Kong and majoring in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, Energy and Environment, Social Work, or closely related fields may participate in the IREAAMU REU Site. The application package includes a resume, a personal statement, and an unofficial transcript. All applicants must email their applications to Dr. Devina Sanjaya and Dr. Zhenbo Wang (see the Contact section) by the deadline listed on the NSF ETAP (see the General Timeline section) and cc the CityU Overseas Internship Scheme. 

• Acceptance to the Collaborative IREAAMU REU site does not guarantee admittance to the United States.

• All IREAAMU Collaborative REU students must apply for J1 visa and maintain their legal status in the United States.

• All IREAAMU Collaborative REU students must pass an interview in English.

• All IREAAMU Collaborative REU students are self-funded. No stipend, financial support, or compensation of any form will be given by the University of Tennessee or the National Science Foundation. The City University of Hong Kong may provide students with financial support.

• All IREAAMU Collaborative REU students will not be employed or enrolled as a student at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

• All IREAAMU Collaborative REU students stay at the same housing as the IREAAMU NSF-REU students.

• All IREAAMU Collaborative REU students must complete the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training and The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) by May 30.

• All IREAAMU Collaborative REU students must write a technical report and present their work at the Summer Research Scholars Symposium and the NSF-REU Poster Symposium. The report and posters must be emailed to Dr. Devina Sanjaya and Dr. Zhenbo Wang by July 30.

• The IREAAMU Collaborative REU program is the same as the IREAAMU NSF-REU program, but without the networking events, visits to government facilities, and any other activities requiring U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.

A Quick Introduction to Advanced Air Mobility and REU

• UBER Elevate: Fast-Forwarding to a Future of On-Demand Urban Air Transportation

• NASA Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Mission

• NASA Advanced Air Mobility Playbook

• Federal Aviation Administration's Concept of Operations: Urban Air Mobility (UAM)

• Protecting Electric Grid Health with Drone-Based Power Line Inspection

• `You Wouldn't Have Your Granny Using Them': Drawing Boundaries Between Acceptable and Unacceptable Applications of Civil Drones

• Ten Simple Rules for Students Navigating Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Programs: From Application to Program Completion [Packet]

Learning Outcomes

• Students develop self-confidence in their abilities to conduct interdisciplinary research, solve problems, and work independently.

• Students develop fundamental research skills (e.g., searching, reading, and writing scientific literature, data analysis, poster presentation, and responsible conduct).

• Students demonstrate teamwork skills by having the ability to work alongside fellow students, graduate mentors, faculty advisors, and other researchers.

• Students have the ability to identify research and industry challenges and formulate creative solutions.

• Student improve their job searching skill (e.g., resume writing, interview preparations, and networking).

• Students feel more prepared for graduate schools and informed about various career pathways for advanced degrees.

• Students understand the process of building a strong support system and growing a mentoring network.

• Students develop the organizational and time management skills needed to manage research and academic demands.

Tips on Writing an Effective Personal Statement

• State your main purpose of joining the IREAAMU NSF-REU site.

• Demonstrate your understanding of the IREAAMU NSF-REU site and Advanced Air Mobility.

• Describe your aspirations and motivations for participating in undergraduate research.

• State two aspects of AAM that interest you the most. This will help us match you with a faculty advisor and research lab.

• Discuss your academic performance. Make sure your unofficial transcript is unedited and shows your name and your institution name.

• Discuss your relevant coursework, technical skills, projects, and experience. Highlight these on your resume too!

• Show genuine interest, commitment, and enthusiasm.

• Proofread your personal statement. Check for clarity, grammatical errors, and spelling mistakes. Be concise and organized.

General Timeline

• Mid November - Mid February: Application window (https://etap.nsf.gov/award/5084/opportunity/10201)

• Mid March: Offers sent

• Late March: Responses due

• Last week of May to first week of August: IREAAMU NSF-REU at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Contact

For general questions about IREAAMU NSF-REU site, please feel free to contact:

• Dr. Devina Sanjaya (Principal Investigator): dsanjaya [at] utk [dot] edu

• Dr. Zhenbo Wang (Co-Principal Investigator): zwang124 [at] utk [dot] edu

Program Details

2024-2025 IREAAMU Participants