REU Site: An Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Experience in Solar and Space Physics: The University of Colorado and Its Consortium Partners

PI对REU网站的目标是向学生介绍太阳和空间物理学的跨学科性质，作为竞争激烈的学术环境中综合研究的模型。REU现场计划将包括一个为期两周的太阳能和空间物理本科暑期学校，将模仿成功的nsf资助的CISM研究生暑期学校。这门本科课程将采用“整个系统”的方法来研究太阳及其相互作用。所有REU本科生都需要参加暑期学校，但任何有兴趣参加的合格本科生都可以参加。暑期学校结束后，12名REU本科生（8名由NSF资助，4名由联盟成员资助）将参加为期6至8周的研究经历，涉及各机构的科学项目，涵盖从日震学到航天器运行异常等广泛主题。该联盟的参与机构包括科罗拉多大学、NCAR的高空观测站、NOAA的空间环境中心、NWRA的科罗拉多研究协会（均位于科罗拉多州博尔德）和波士顿大学主办的综合空间天气模拟中心。相关的学生研究将在博尔德财团成员的设施中进行。美国国家研究委员会在其2003年的太阳和空间物理学十年研究中，对从事该领域的太阳和空间物理学家的数量提出了担忧。物理学和地球科学本科课程的入学人数下降，导致太阳能和空间物理学课程的可用性有限，威胁到该领域未来研究人员的管道。作为他们建议的一部分，国家研究委员会小组建议，应该鼓励本科生通过NSF的REU计划等项目从事太阳能和空间物理学的研究。这个REU网站将通过其广泛的太阳能和空间物理学家联盟来支持这一努力。这个REU项目及其相关的暑期学校有潜力培养大量对太阳能和空间物理有兴趣和背景的本科生，这将为全国提供研究生课程。在奖励期结束时，将有60名本科生参加研究项目，报名参加暑期学校的人数甚至更多。该站点由国防部与NSF REU项目合作资助。

The PI's goal for this REU site is to introduce students to the interdisciplinary nature of solar and space physics as a model for integrated research in a competitive academic environment. The REU site program will include a two-week undergraduate summer school in solar and space physics that will emulate the successful NSF-funded CISM graduate summer school. This undergraduate course will take a 'whole system' approach to studying the Sun and its interactions. The summer school will be required for all REU site undergraduates, but will be open to any qualified undergraduate interested in participating. After the summer school, 12 REU undergraduates (8 supported by NSF and 4 supported by consortium members) would participate in a 6- to 8-week research experience involving science projects across the institutions and spanning a wide range of topics, from helioseismology to spacecraft operation anomalies.Participating institutions of the consortium include the University of Colorado, NCAR's High Altitude Observatory, NOAA's Space Environment Center, NWRA's Colorado Research Associates (all located in Boulder, Colorado) and the Center for Integrated Space Weather Modeling hosted at Boston University. The associated student research will be performed at the facilities of consortium members in Boulder. The National Research Council, in its 2003 decadal study of solar and space physics, raised concerns regarding the number of solar and space physicists engaged in the field. Declining enrollments in undergraduate programs in both physics and Earth sciences has led to limited availability of courses in solar and space physics, threatening the pipeline of future researchers in the field. As part of their recommendation, the National Research Council panel suggested that undergraduates should be encouraged to pursue research in solar and space physics through programs such as the NSF's REU program. This REU site will support that effort through its broad-based consortium of solar and space physicists. This REU program and its associated summer school has the potential to generate a significant number of undergraduates with increased interest and backgrounds in solar and space physics, and this will supply graduate programs across the country. At the end of the award period, 60 undergraduates will have participated in the research program, with an even larger number enrolling in the summer school. This site is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.