Search for: All records

This paper describes an approach that can be used by faculty and administrators to efficiently develop program-level student support plans to increase retention and completion in STEM disciplines. These recommendations were developed as part of a National Science Foundation-sponsored workshop intended to help two-year college faculty and administrators prepare proposals for the National Science Foundation Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) Program. S-STEM scholarship proposals are expected to be built on a foundation of deep needs analyses specific to the targeted population of students in STEM disciplines. Based on needs assessment, programs can then focus on implementing appropriate interventions that will be most effective in improving the retention and completion of their students. Guidelines for streamlining the acquisition and organization of critical elements of student needs analyses can be useful for two-year college faculty and administrators to develop NSF S-STEM proposals and any other initiatives they may pursue to improve student success at their institutions. Our approach recognizes that needs analysis benefits from three levels of data: institutional data, program-level data, and student-level data. Institutional-level data includes retention and completion data as well as results of institutional-level surveys of current students or alumni and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Program-level data includes retention and completion data at the program level that may show significant differences from institutional results. In addition, program data should include course-level grades and failure rates, student GPA correlated with student program year, and student demographic data if available. The program data can help identify attrition points at the program level. Student data forms a third level that can clarify and focus student needs analyses. One aspect of student-level data is personal attributes associated with academic and career success in STEM fields. Examples include a growth mindset, stem identity, a sense of belonging, and academic self-efficacy. The validated surveys that exist to characterize these attributes are outlined in the paper. These surveys can be used at the program level to identify both baseline data and critical needs. In parallel with surveys, the creation of a student need archetype using techniques from the NSF I-Corps for Learning (I-Corps L) model can be used to elicit another dimension of challenges faced by students. The I-Corps for Learning model emphasizes the benefit of unstructured one-on-one informal interviews to elicit unscripted data from students to test assumptions and uncover opportunities for impact. The paper provides step-by-step guidelines for efficient implementation of I-Corps for Learning student needs discovery methods. In summary, even with external grant funding such as NSF S-STEM funds, student support initiatives must allocate available funds strategically to obtain the most impact. Collection of data at institutional, program, and student levels can facilitate the synthesis of a student-need archetype that supports faculty and administrative decision-makers. This paper aims to provide practical guidelines to two-year college faculty and administrators for creating a compelling student needs assessment and characterization of institutional context. 

The research presented in this study aims to tackle a pivotal challenge in solar energy technologies: how to sustain energy production when direct sunlight is not readily available. By introducing a novel photothermal radiator that effectively harnesses diffused light through plasmonic Fe₃O₄@Cu2-xS nanoparticles, we seek to offer a sustainable solution for maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures without heavy reliance on traditional solar sources. Our approach involves the use of UV and IR lights to photothermally activate transparent Fe₃O₄@Cu2-xS thin films, showcasing a proactive strategy to optimize energy capture even in low-light scenarios such as cloudy days or nighttime hours. This innovative technology carries immense potential for energy-neutral buildings, paving the way to reduce dependence on external energy grids and promoting a more sustainable future for indoor heating and comfort control. The developed photothermal radiator incorporates multiple transparent thin films infused with plasmonic Fe₃O₄@Cu2-xS nanoparticles, known for their robust UV and IR absorptions driven by Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance (LSPR). Through the application of UV and IR lights, these thin films efficiently convert incident photons into thermal energy. Our experiments within a specially constructed Diffused Light Photothermal Box (DLPB), designed to simulate indoor environments, demonstrate the system's capability to raise temperatures above 50°C effectively. This pioneering photothermal radiator offers a promising pathway for sustainable heat generation in indoor spaces, harnessing ubiquitous diffused light sources to enhance energy efficiency. 

A Photothermal Solar Tunnel Radiator (PSTR) is designed and developed by employing multiple transparent photothermal glass panels (TPGP). The primary objective is to pioneer a transformative approach to achieve energy-neutral building heating utilities, exemplified by a lab-scale "Photothermal Solar Box" (PSB) exclusively heated with TPGP under natural sunlight. The PSTR presents a novel paradigm for sustainable energy, enabling direct solar energy capture through transparent glass substrates with photothermal coatings. The high transparency of Fe3O4@Cu2-xS coated glass substrates enhance efficient solar harvesting and photothermal energy generation within the Photothermal Solar Box. The system demonstrates an impressive thermal energy output, reaching up to 9.1x105 joules with 8 photothermal panels in parallel. Even under colder conditions (ambient temperature: -10 °C), with accelerated heat loss, the interior temperatures of the PSB with partial thermal insulation achieve a commendable 35 °C, showcasing effective photothermal heating in cold weather. These findings indicate the system's resilience and efficiency in harnessing solar energy under diverse conditions, including partial cloudy weather. The initiative contributes to broader sustainability goals by providing a scalable and practical alternative to traditional solar heating methods, aligning with the global mission for a cleaner, greener future. 

In this paper, we report the description and evaluation of an annual workshop titled “Capacity Building Workshops for Competitive S-STEM Proposals from Two-Year Colleges in the Western U.S.” which was offered in June of 2019, 2020, and 2021 with the goal of facilitating submissions to the NSF S-STEM program from 2-year colleges (2YCs). The two-day workshop was composed of separate sessions during which participants discussed several aspects of proposal preparation. Participants also received pre- and post-workshop support through webinars and office hours. To evaluate the program, post-workshop surveys were administered through Qualtrics™. The workshop and related activities received overall positive feedback with specific suggestions on how to better support participants. The paper discusses specific challenges faced by 2YC teams in preparing their proposals. Over three offerings, the program welcomed 103 participants on 51 teams from 2YCs. As of 2021, 11 teams total (from the 2019 cohort) submitted proposals. Among them, four were funded, which is approximately double the typical success rate. Six of the declined teams resubmitted and one of them is currently in negotiations. 

The efficiencies of photovoltaic (PV) and thermoelectric (TE) have been limited by the intrinsic properties to ~ 25 % and ~ 10 %, respectively. In current applications, photovoltaics utilizes the shorter wavelength end of the solar spectrum but suffer decreases in efficiency from heating caused by IR absorption. The novel tunable nanostructures of new hybrids eliminate this problem by directing thermal energy from longer wavelengths to the thermoelectric device. Solar light is harvested through transparent hybrid and segregated into different wavelengths: the IR is absorbed by the hybrid which is photothermally heated up to ~100 °C for the required thermoelectric temperature span; the UV/visible is directed to PV with reduced IR components, therefore significantly reducing heating. In this way, both PV and TE operate jointly by separately utilizing the full spectrum of solar light. The novel hybrid functions not only as a photothermal heater for TE but also a wavelength segregator enabling the PV and TE devices to synergistically produce electrical energy with much greater system efficiency. Also identified is the operating structural mechanism on spectral tunability and photothermal effect of the photonic hybrids.