REU Site: The Space Physics Research Laboratory, University of Michigan

Regents Of The University Of Michigan - Ann Arbor, Ann Arbor MI

Investigators

Abstract

Twelve undergraduate students are competitively selected to spend 3 summer months at the Space Physics Research Laboratory in the Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, where each works with one of the over 40 faculty members (of which up to 15-20 regularly participate) doing research in Airglow and Atmospheric Science, Space Plasma Physics, Earth and Planetary Ionospheres and Magnetospheres, Air Pollution Transport, and Planetary Atmospheres. The students have opportunities to interact with their mentors, other undergraduate students in the program, graduate students at the university and other faculty members and research staff. They are able to have hands on experience working with instrumentation, which has flown or will fly in space, making in situ and remote sensing measurements of the atmosphere, and fabricating and calibrating components of these state-of-the-art systems. They are also able to choose to construct and work with software packages, which solve analytical expressions, analyze space flight data in image forms, and manipulate large databases. A portion of their experience involves attending weekly seminars given by the faculty/staff, writing up their work in a report for their mentor (which may be publishable), and presenting their report orally to the students and staff. Intellectual Merit: The intellectual merit of this proposed program is contained in the actual accomplishment of research work that is produced. Some of the projects have or will directly result in journal publications or presentations at scientific meetings. Broader Impacts: Beyond this the broader impact is inherent in the fundamental purpose of the REU program, which is to engender interest and research experience in the atmospheric and space sciences in students who might pursue these areas as a career. In this regard we have made special efforts and have been reasonably successful in attracting both women and underrepresented minorities to these fields of physical science. Furthermore in recent years nearly one summer REU student per year has returned a year or two later as an incoming graduate student in our own M.S., M.Eng., or Ph.D. programs.