REU Site: Materials Physics at the University of Florida

University Of Florida, Gainesville FL

Investigators

Abstract

The University of Florida continues to operate a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site that focused on physics of materials. The ten-week summer program would support 15 undergraduate students each year for three years. Students are recruited nationwide with an emphasis to increase participation by women, members of groups underrepresented in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), students from institutions with limited research opportunities. Each REU participant is integrated into an active research group to carry out individual research project under the guidance of a faculty mentor. Research projects cover a wide variety of materials research topics in physics and related fields and include experimental, theoretical and computational projects in the design, measurement and understanding of novel materials and quantum phenomena. The REU program also includes seminars on contemporary research topics, visit to National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, information on career possibilities in physical sciences, workshops and training on scientific communication, science demonstrations by REU students to K-12 groups and social events to facilitate informal interactions among peers and with faculty mentors. At the end of the program, students write research reports and present their project results at a REU research symposium and are encouraged and supported to present their REU research at national and regional scientific meetings. This REU Site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program and NSF Division of Materials Research in the Mathematical and Physical Sciences Directorate.