REU Site: Opportunities in Physics Research at Illinois

该奖项支持伊利诺伊大学物理学本科生研究体验(REU)网站。该课程向本科生介绍了科学和工程中广泛的问题，这些问题可以用物理学的工具来解决。每年暑假共有10名学生参加。美国本科生在Urbana呆了十周，与高级物理教师密切而直接地合作，开展具有挑战性、有意义的项目，旨在培养他们的“研究素养”技能，并使他们接触到物理子领域的多样性。计划活动帮助参与者练习口头陈述和技术写作技能，培养对职业选择的灵活态度，并灌输职业道德。伊利诺伊州的REU项目既不是“食谱”练习，也不是体力劳动，而是与教师正在进行的物理学前沿研究密切相关的原创性研究练习。学生编写的代码随后用于真实的实验，他们设计和测试真实仪器的组件，他们分析真实的数据。项目具有挑战性，但可行，旨在在10周的时间内取得可衡量的成就。广泛的研究活动得到了支持，以便参与者获得一个引人入胜的介绍，了解物理学各主要分学科的前沿研究机会的广度。这个项目的一个新特点是任命一名科学主任来协助教员开发适当的项目，并设立一个“新兵训练营”，为学生准备好进行富有成效的暑期研究体验。该奖项由物理部和材料研究部共同资助。

This award supports the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site in Physics at the University of Illinois. The program introduces undergraduate students to the broad range of problems in science and engineering that can be addressed using the tools of physics. A total of 10 students will participate each summer. U.S. undergraduate students spend ten weeks in Urbana working closely and directly with senior physics faculty on challenging, meaningful projects aimed at developing their "research literacy" skills and their exposure to the diversity of physics subfields. Programmatic activities assist participants in practicing oral presentation and technical writing skills, developing flexible attitudes toward career choices, and inculcating professional ethics. The REU projects at Illinois are neither "cookbook" exercises nor manual labor, but are original research exercises intimately related to ongoing faculty research at the cutting edge of physics. Students write code that is subsequently used in real experiments, they design and test components for real instruments, and they analyze real data. Projects are challenging but doable and are designed to achieve measurable accomplishments in the 10-week time frame. A wide range of research activities are supported so that participants receive an engaging introduction to the breadth of forefront research opportunities in the major subdisciplines of physics. A new feature in this project is the appointment of a scientific director to assist faculty in developing appropriate projects and a "boot camp" to prepare students ready for a productive summer research experience. This award is funded through both the Division of Physics and the Division of Materials Research.