REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Atomic, Molecular, and Laser Physics

Sri International, Menlo Park CA

Investigators

Abstract

Molecular Physics Laboratory (MPL) of SRI International supports a site for the National Science Foundation's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program. The MPL has a worldwide reputation for its fundamental and applied research in atomic, molecular, and laser physics. During the past eight years, 81 undergraduate students have participated in MPL's REU program (74 with NSF support), collaborating with Ph.D. mentors on the MPL staff on a wide variety of experimental and theoretical research problems in these areas. We propose to again recruit highly qualified undergraduate students; to work with them to identify the best match of student, mentor, and research project; and to provide a summer research program. We will continue to provide each student with opportunities both formal and informal to perform exciting research, discuss their work, present project results, and explore science career possibilities with SRI staff mentors. We expect this REU program to continue to produce student/mentor co-authored presentations and publications, undergraduates who have a better sense of the work of Ph.D. physicists at a research institute, and a research staff renewed by the energy and fresh perspective of young scientists.