REU Site: Research Experience for Undergraduates in Astrophysics, Nuclear and Particle Physics

Wayne State University, Detroit MI

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This award supports an REU site at Wayne State University, with project opportunities offered at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, and locally at Wayne State University. The REU program primarily recruits local students and the program starts with a preparation phase at Wayne State University involving a one-hour course given over the winter to student participants. The course introduces the students to the physical, mathematical and computational concepts relevant for the summer experience. It includes a computer training homework and an ethics component. The PI and Co-PI plan/organize the students travel to FNAL and SLAC. The participants merge with other existing REU programs at each site for social activities and lectures on various scientific topics. Students are mentored by PhD researchers working on leading edge physics topics and/or technologies chosen for good mentorship qualities as well as their leadership in their respective scientific fields. Students are required to submit a report in the form of a paper at the end of their experience and deliver oral presentations. This program will motivate the students to take interest in fundamental physics and attract them to careers in science and engineering.