REU Site: Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Physics

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. This is a ten-week summer residential research participation experience that engages undergraduate students in full-time active research collaborations with faculty, research professionals, and graduate students at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. A selection of research projects in Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, as well as closely associated areas, is available. Students will gain experience in presenting their results by making oral and written presentations throughout the summer. This project impacts the research and development competitiveness of the United States by recruiting excellent students into STEM research fields and by training these students to perform leading-edge research in technologically important fields. Undergraduate students are both mentored individually by research faculty and engage in group professional development activities. Research projects are cutting-edge in Physics, Applied Physics, and Astronomy, and include astronomy, astrophysics, condensed matter physics, energy conversion, geophysics, particle physics, and biological physics. In addition to their own research area, students will be exposed to a variety of research topics and methodologies through a series of research seminars and student presentations. Further breadth will be developed through visits to nearby research facilities. To assist in their professional development, students also participate in tutorials on ethics, applying to graduate school, scientific writing and giving scientific presentations, as well as safety training, machine shop training, and lab tours. These activities allow students to put their research experience into a wider perspective, build a network of professional contacts, and develop professional skills in a scientific environment. 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.