REU Site: Physics at Kansas State University - Interactions of Matter, Light and Learning

Kansas State University, Manhattan KS

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site in Physics at Kansas State University. The site engages twelve students per year in significant research projects and related experiences during the summer with faculty mentors. A wide range of projects are available that involve undergraduates in state-of-the-art research. The experience of what real science is like helps the participants make better informed decisions about careers, graduate work and/or professional school. Whether they choose to continue in physics or a related technical field, or choose to move to a different area, bright students making good choices early in their careers is in the national interest. Students will do research on how atoms and molecules behave in intense and ultra-fast optical and x-ray pulses, precision spectroscopy in laser-cooled atoms, how light interacts non-linearly in optical fibers, the properties of nanoparticles in solution, and protein self-assembly with simplified models. They will help build next generation hardware for high-energy particle detection, improve measurements of neutrino oscillations, and help faculty use research-based assessment tools. This experience will be supplemented by a series of lectures that provide the background these students need to carry out their projects. The participants will gain experience in explaining their research work to a variety of audiences and will also read about and discuss ethical behavior in science. Social activities, both organized and spontaneous, will enrich this undergraduate research experience. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.