REU Site: Physics and Chemistry Research at The College of Wooster

非技术描述：伍斯特REU网站的目的是使本科生和教师在涉及广泛的材料科学、物理和化学项目的原创、可发表的研究上紧密合作。伍斯特是一所文理学院，长期以来以其指导的本科生研究而闻名。教师们设计了正在进行的研究项目，既创新又方便本科生使用。在研究工具、技术和过程中提供专门和个性化的指导，训练和激励年轻学生坚持科学，同时为可发表的研究做出贡献。该网站专门针对刚开始学习的学生，他们通常只完成了一年的大学学业，而且通常来自研究机会很少的机构；它通过提供一个充满活力的支持性环境，鼓励女性和弱势群体的充分参与，并与附近的两年制大学合作，招收那些原本可能不会主修科学甚至完成大学学业的学生。每个学生都拥有一个单独的项目，进行原创性研究，并通过研究项目，口头和海报展示以及书面报告成为一名实践科学家。技术描述：伍斯特REU网站的目的是为年轻学生提供一个学习科学研究的工具和技术的环境，同时与教师导师密切合作，进行令人兴奋和可发表的研究项目。研究领域包括凝聚态物质、颗粒材料、纳米线、时空模式形成、发光聚合物、量子光学、非线性动力学和天体物理学等。它使用实验、计算和理论技术。重点包括控制噪声和无序的时空动态，实验实现单向耦合振荡器阵列，以及使用头桩理解颗粒流动。研究项目是有意设计的，即使是新手本科生也可以做出重大的科学贡献。在过去的夏季研究中，54名本科生在《物理评论》（Physical Review）等期刊上发表了32篇科学论文。研究结果曾两次出现在《美国物理学杂志》的封面，以及《物理评论焦点》和《自然新闻》的新闻报道中。学生研究人员接受的研究技能培训包括批判性思维、数据分析和科学写作。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the Wooster REU site is to enable undergraduates and faculty to work closely together on original, publishable research involving a broad range of materials science, physics, and chemistry projects. Wooster is a liberal arts college long recognized for its mentored undergraduate research. The faculty have designed on-going research programs that are both innovative and accessible to undergraduates. Dedicated and individualized mentoring in the tools, techniques, and process of research trains and inspires young students to persist in science while contributing to publishable research. The site specifically targets beginning students, often having completed just one year of college, and often from institutions where research opportunities are scarce; it encourages the full participation of women and underrepresented groups by providing a vibrant supportive environment, and it has partnered with nearby two-year colleges to recruit students who might otherwise not major in a science or even complete college. Each student takes ownership of an individual project, conducts original research, and becomes a practicing scientist through the research project, oral and poster presentations, and written reports.TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The purpose of the Wooster REU site is to provide an environment for young students to learn the tools and techniques of scientific research while working closely with a faculty mentor on exciting and publishable research projects. The research spans a broad range of fields including condensed matter, granular materials, nanowires, spatiotemporal pattern formation, light-emitting polymers, quantum optics, nonlinear dynamics, and astrophysics. It uses experimental, computational, and theoretical techniques. Highlights include controlling spatio-temporal dynamics with noise and disorder, experimentally realizing arrays of one-way coupled oscillators, and understanding granular flows using bead piles. Research projects are intentionally designed so that even novice undergraduates can make significant scientific contributions. Past summer research has contributed to 32 scientific papers involving 54 undergraduate coauthors in journals such as Physical Review. Results have been featured twice on the cover of the American Journal of Physics and in news stories in Physical Review Focus and Nature News. Student researchers are trained in research skills including critical thinking, data analysis, and scientific writing.