REU Site: Solid-State Devices for Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetics Technology

Clemson University, Clemson SC

Investigators

Abstract

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program, Summer Undergraduate Research Experience in Solid-State Devices for Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetics Technology (SURE), at Clemson University, offers state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary research experiences in the areas of electronic, photonic, and magnetic devices, including material and device design, processing, characterization and modeling, to diverse and talented cohorts of undergraduates from institutions with limited or no research opportunities. The program is intended for students who are rising juniors and seniors, majoring in electrical engineering, computer engineering, materials engineering, or related areas of mathematics, physics, and bioengineering. Micro and nanofabrication of solid-state devices are critical components of modern economic development, and diverse leadership in research on devices for electronics, photonics, and magnetics is a key to sustained US economic competitiveness. Yet many undergraduate students have limited exposure to advanced topics in solid-state device and materials processing technology resulting in a lack of awareness and understanding of the types of research problems that arise in the field. The SURE program will be centered on the philosophy of developing tomorrow's leaders in academic and industrial research on solid-state device technology. The primary goal of the SURE program is to provide each undergraduate participant with a ten-week scientifically rigorous, intellectually demanding, research experience within a highly collegial environment of collaboration with faculty and other students. The program focuses on the development of the technical skills and critical-thinking abilities of the participants and on their exposure to substantive, representative research problems in device-related technology. It will also emphasize development of the participants' technical communication abilities through several professional-development seminars and workshops and enhance their understanding of the ethical and societal context within which engineering research is performed. The discoveries made during these collaborations will be communicated to the broader scientific community via publications and presentations. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.