REU Site: Physics Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Teachers

College Of William And Mary, Williamsburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

The College of William and Mary in Virginia will offer a ten-week program of physics research for junior-level undergraduates. Approximately 20 undergraduates are expected to participate in the research program: 10 to be supported by this grant, 5 supported by other grants, and 5 supported by the DeWilde Fellowships. DeWilde Fellowships are funded by a private endowment to the physics department that owe their creation in large part to the success of the REU program at William and Mary. A 2 teacher RET program associated with the MINOS neutrino project is included. The William and Mary physics department, a large, nationally ranked Ph.D. granting program, together with the applied science department, and in cooperation with the NASA Langley Research Center and Jefferson Lab provides mentors and projects in atom-atom, atom-ion, and atom-surface scattering, surface physics, ultra-sonics, laser physics and laser-atom interactions, condensed matter physics with a variety of techniques, nuclear and particle physics, polymer physics, non-destructive evaluation, plasma physics, non-linear dynamics, quantum computing and quantum information, and astrophysics/cosmology. This program provides an opportunity for undergraduates to take part in real research and to become deeply involved in a particular research field. The presentation skills learned (abstract preparation, short paper presentation, long paper preparation and presentation) are skills useful throughout productive careers. Almost all of the approximately 250 previous participants have gone on to graduate school in the sciences. Some program activities will be held jointly with Hampton University. The teachers will lead public tours at Soudan and will generate course material to integrate their experience with other high school teachers. This project is co-funded by the Mathematical and Physical Science Directorate's Office of Multidisciplinary Activities and Physics Division.