The Research Experience in the Undergraduate Lab

一个正在进行的项目是加强，以使基础研究的方法和经验，本科物理专业的实验室课程。 这门课程已经教了3年，包括必要的图书馆研究，在持怀疑态度的观众面前定时口头陈述，以及期刊手稿格式的报告等内容。 学生在开放但有时间限制的研究项目上进行小团队工作，其中一些来自当前的研究文献（纳米接触，声致发光，胶体晶体中的量子电导......）。 该项目提供的仪器、计算机和软件与典型研究环境中使用的仪器、计算机和软件非常相似。 目标是训练学生掌握一些实际的方法、工具和数据简化包，这些方法、工具和数据简化包可能会在他们未来的职业生涯中使用，而不是“模型”或“学生”版本。 这些需求通过五个强大的数据采集和简化站来解决，每个站都包括一台带有数据采集板的计算机，GPIB接口和研究质量的数据采集器，以及LabView数据采集软件和几个功能齐全的数据简化和演示软件包（MathCad，Mathematica和Origin）。 此外，还有更专业的GPIB仪器（频率计数器，数字示波器，函数发生器和锁定），以及用于绘图和准备视图和报告的共享打印机。 虽然针对初级物理专业（对他们来说是必需的），这门课程在其增强的形式，预计将吸引其他科学和技术专业的学生。 这种上层实验室的研究模式为学生提供了口头和书面沟通，以及仪器和数据分析方面的有用技能。

An ongoing project is enhanced in order to bring the methods and experiences of basic research to a laboratory course for undergraduate physics majors. The course, which has been taught for 3 years, includes such elements as required library research, timed oral presentations before a skeptical audience, and reports in the format of journal manuscripts. Students work in small teams on open-ended but time-limited research projects, some of which are drawn from current research literature (quantum conductance in nanocontacts, sonoluminescence, colloidal crystals...). This project provides instrumentation, computers, and software that closely duplicate those used in a typical research environment. The goal is to train students in some of the actual methods, instruments, and data-reduction packages that they are likely to use in their future careers, as opposed to "model" or "student" versions. These needs are addressed by five powerful data acquisition and reduction stations, each consisting of a computer with a data-acquisition board, a GPIB interface and research-quality multimeter, together with LabView data-acquisition software and several full-featured data-reduction and presentation packages (MathCad, Mathematica, and Origin). In addition there is more specialized GPIB instrumentation (frequency counters, digital oscilloscopes, function generators, and lock-ins), as well as a shared printer for graphing and preparation of viewgraphs and reports. Although targeted to junior-level physics majors (for whom it is required), this course in its enhanced form is expected to attract students from other scientific and technical majors. This research model for upper level laboratory equips the students with useful skills in verbal and written communication, as well as instrumentation and data analysis.