REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN

Investigators

Abstract

Training the next generation of physicists for American competitiveness and technological leadership American competitiveness in basic science research and technology development depends crucially on a highly skilled, trained physics workforce. Physics is foundational to much of the fundamental research activity of US research and development efforts. The Vanderbilt University Summer REU program offers undergraduate physics students the opportunity to work closely with faculty on forefront research projects in a variety of subfields of physics. The areas include astronomy, biological physics, condensed matter physics including nanoscience, laser physics, nuclear physics, and particle physics. The research mentors are all well funded researchers and all have committed to personally directing the students. The extensive research infrastructure, including the facilities of several large interdisciplinary centers, will be available to the students. Physics students will have the opportunity to visit major facilities at government laboratories, both domestic and international, including FermiLab, Brookhaven, Oak Ridge, and CERN. As part of the program's emphasis on leadership development, the program includes training in ethical conduct of research, and as part of the program's emphasis on developing the future workforce includes a focus on broadening participation of underrepresented groups in physics. The REU program will achieve broad impact. In particular, the track record of the program over the past six years shows that a high percentage of the participants will be underrepresented minority students, and the track record moreover shows that more than half of the participants will be from institutions with limited research opportunities. Finally, to achieve sustained impact, the program is designed to build ties between the Vanderbilt mentors, all of whom are supported with appropriate salary, and faculty at the student's home institution. This builds a larger community, provides for continued support for the student, and enhances the ability for continued mentoring and research participation of the student beyond the REU site experience.