PREM Directors Meeting, 2016

Event Description
 
 
 
Agenda 
 
8-8:30 a.m.
Breakfast (provided)
 
8:30-9:10 a.m.
Welcome and Future of PREM
Linda Sapochak, Director, Division of Material Research, NSF
 
PREM achievements
Sean Jones, Deputy Division Director (acting) and former PREM PD
 
Present of PREM; framework and goals of the meeting
Alfredo Caro, PREM Program Director
 
Opportunities for partnerships
Dan Finotello, MRSEC Program Director and former PREM PD
 
9:10-10:20 a.m.
Self-introductions of participants
 
Presentations by the 6 new Class 2015 PREMs (10 min each) – 5 slides:
Research theme, DMR center and MSI collaboration, outreach and education, points of pride, and challenge(s)
 
Experiences from the First PREM Summer Research conference, by W. Brittain (10 min)
 
10:20-10:30 a.m.
Break; refreshments and preparation for parallel sessions (students and faculty).
 
Parallel Sessions
The outcome of the panels will be summarized in a one to two-page document. A scribe, responsible for writing the document, will be chosen at the beginning of each panel.
 
10:30-11:10 a.m. 
Faculty Panel Session I
 
Theme: Partnership
  • Pros and cons of the partnership with a tier-1 research institution

- with respect to exposing students to tier-1 research, mentors, and opportunities

- with respect to opportunities for faculty at the MSI

  • What are the biggest challenges in identifying appropriate research projects for the partnership?
 
Theme: Institutional
  • What other models could be explored (other than CREST, LSAMP and GRFP)?
  • In which way could PREM contribute to the success of proposals submitted to NSF?
 
Theme: Increase participation
  • What type of opportunities is most important for attracting MSI students to PREM?
  • How would students organize a program to increase participation of underrepresented groups in materials research studies?
  • What resources would be helpful for you to leverage the partnership to reap potential opportunities?

- To you directly

- To your university

- To the partner institution

  • Recommendations to enhance the PREM experience?
11:10-11:20 a.m. 
Break
 
11:20-Noon
Faculty Panel Session II
 
Theme: Metrics
  • What are appropriate metrics for an MSI to “graduate” from PREM?
  • What metrics should be used to define a “PREM student”?
  • What metrics would be indicative of a vibrant and productive PREM program with respect to the:

- Partnership?

- URM student development?

- MSI faculty development?

- MSI culture?

 
Theme: Running PREM
  • What are the opportunities and challenges that come up by utilizing NSF funds for release time and/or summer salary?
  • Recommendations to enhance the PREM experience?
 
11:20 a.m.-Noon
Student Session II. Presentations by NSF on career development
Tentative:
 
- Graduate Research Fellowship Program GRFP (S. Jones, NSF)
 
- Inspirational talk: “Science — A Critically Important Profession: Grand Challenges and Great Opportunities” by Larry Dalton, Emeritus Professor, U. of Washington
 
Noon-1 p.m.
Lunch (provided)
 
1:15-1:30 p.m.
Students: set up posters
 
1:30-2:30 p.m.
Student poster session. Best poster competition
 
2:30-3 p.m.
Report on Student Session & Poster award ceremony
 
3 p.m.
Students Adjourn
 
3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.
Report on Faculty Sessions
 
4:30 p.m.
Adjourn