REU Site: Solar Physics at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics

Smithsonian Institution Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge MA

Investigators

Abstract

This project will support the continuation of a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA), in which students will carry out individual research projects in solar physics under the supervision of CfA senior staff scientists and engineers for ten weeks during the summer. The student projects involve numerical modeling, data analysis from space missions currently being supported at the CfA, such as Hinode, SDO, IRIS, Wind, DISCOVR, and Parker Solar Probe or engineering projects related to solar instrumentation being built at the CfA, depending on the students' interests and abilities. With its strong Space Weather component this program has the benefit to society of adding to our understanding of potential space hazards. Moreover, this program will provide exposure to professional research in a university environment with a goal of helping students to decide whether to continue their education in graduate school, and whether or not to pursue research as a profession. A student outreach component of the program will bring educational activities to the local community. The target group of students consists of undergraduates in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) disciplines, with a preference for underrepresented groups in STEM fields and students from small colleges where there are few research opportunities. The primary goals of this program are to 1) develop students with demonstrated talent and potential by stimulating independence, creativity and cultivating an interest in physics, astronomy and engineering graduate school, 2) demonstrate to participants how academic knowledge acquired in classes applies to real-word research problems, 3) foster participation in scientific research by women and traditionally underrepresented groups in scientific research, 4) increase awareness of solar physics as a field of study, 5) develop student competence and confidence in presenting scientific research in a public forum, 6) provide a high-quality research experience, and 7) accomplish state-of-the-art solar research. Since the projects are designed to be part of cutting-edge solar physics research, student projects will frequently result in joint professional publications or presentations with their CfA mentors, providing undergraduates with valuable motivation and career development experiences. Since Solar Physics is taught at relatively few colleges and universities, this program provides an important service to the discipline. The proposal will encourage minority student applications through contacts with other minority-serving internship programs on campus, recommendations from professional contacts at minority serving institutions, advertising the program at conferences such as the National Society for Black Physicists, and a broad advertising campaign targeted at minority colleges and universities. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. 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.