REU Program

Hub & Spoke Research Experience for
Undergraduates (REU) Program Summer 2023

Building a Sustainable Future


The Hub & Spoke Program is a collaborative initiative between the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility (MDF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) at the University of Maine. The collaborative research performed between these two world-class research facilities combined with industry guidance focuses on forest-derived bioproducts with an emphasis on large-scale additive manufacturing. We are very pleased to announce the first Hub & Spoke REU program, designed to provide an opportunity for twelve, highly qualified undergraduate students to participate in a ten-week research experience at ORNL or the University of Maine.


Eligibility / Key Information:

  • Current undergraduate in sophomore or junior year
  • Minimum GPA of 3.0
  • U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
  • Must have valid passport or REAL ID
  • Must have proof of full COVID-19 vaccination
  • Available May 28th – August 4th, 2023
  • Women, minorities, and students with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply
  • Completed applications will be considered in the order they are received
  • Application deadline: March 1, 2023 (or until all positions are filled)

Support Provided:

  • $6,500 stipend + lodging during the program
  • Travel to and from home location / Orono, ME / Knoxville, TN
  • Half of the students will be working primarily at The University of Maine (Orono, ME), and half will be working primarily at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Knoxville, TN)
  • All students will have the opportunity to visit both facilities

Benefits & Activities:

  • Access to state-of-the-art research facilities and equipment
  • Mentorship in research by world-class scientists and engineers
  • Technical writing and oral presentation opportunities
  • Ethics in research workshop
  • Professional field trips / Industrial tours
  • One-week research experience at Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Potential Research Topics:

  • Feedstock production and modification
  • Sustainable materials development & characterization
  • Large scale additive manufacturing
  • New product development
  • Technoeconomic analysis and life cycle analysis

Preferred Disciplines:

  • Material Science / Polymer Science
  • Bioenergy
  • Bioengineering
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Bioproducts / Biomaterials
  • Chemistry
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Wood Science & Technology / Forest Products / Forest Operations

Contact Information

University of Maine

For logistical questions or concerns, please contact:

Christina VonTorne, Financial and Administration Manager,
University of Maine Forest Bioproducts Institute
christina.vontorne@maine.edu

For research questions or concerns, please contact:

Doug Gardner, Professor of Sustainable Materials and Technology,
University of Maine, Advanced Structures & Composites Center
douglasg@maine.edu

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

For logistical questions or concerns, please contact:

Amber Hubbard, R&D Associate Staff, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Manufacturing Science Division
hubbardam@ornl.gov

For research questions or concerns, please contact:

Soydan Ozcan, Senior R&D Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Manufacturing Science Division
ozcans@ornl.gov

Acknowledgements: Research Supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Manufacturing Office