REU Site: Multidisciplinary Physics Research at the University of Memphis

非技术描述：多学科物理和材料科学本科生研究体验(REU)网站为本科生提供了一个从事基础和应用物理前沿研究的独特机会。这些预定活动的最终目标是为学生提供一个强大的平台，让他们在科学、技术、工程和数学(STEM)的所有领域成功地开始他们的职业生涯。多学科物理REU网站提供正规教学、独立研究和专业发展之间的平衡。通过这种方式，学生们被教授进行研究所需的基本技能，同时意识到更大的科学界及其在其中的贡献。活动的目的是提高学生的研究技能，同时强调为他们在STEM的高级职业生涯做准备。活动包括技术写作讲习班、专家专题讲座、对当地工业和研究机构的实地考察、两周一次的网络活动和以学生为中心的系列研讨会。学生可以从各种各样的项目中进行选择，这些项目跨越了计算或实验领域的物理和材料科学的多学科性质。学生参与的活动和研讨会解决了社区学院和少数族裔机构的学生在过渡到四年制大学和STEM研究生课程时面临的挑战。技术细节：每个参与的学生都将受益于在密歇根大学校区度过一个暑假，沉浸在物理和材料科学系的研究密集型项目中。在经验丰富的教师研究员和导师的指导和指导下，学生通过综合、表征、建模和计算在物理的多学科领域进行研究。学生可以从四个主要主题中选择不同的研究项目：主题1：用于能源应用的纳米材料，主题2：生物物理学，主题3：光子学/等离子体学，主题4：计算物理。学生有机会在REU项目结束后与他们指定的教师导师一起继续他们的研究。经过培训(欢迎通知、实验室安全培训、图书馆培训和校园培训)和导师的任命后，所有学生都将接受研究级仪器的实践培训，如轮廓仪、光学和电子显微镜、分光镜、其他材料分析工具以及计算工具和技术。成功完成这一研究培训的学生为STEM在同一领域或相关学科的职业和研究生课程做好了充分的准备。这个REU网站主要为中南部地区、附近的HBCU和当地社区大学的学生提供机会和机会，并向一年级和二年级的学生开放。利用本科生研究型学生自我评估(URSA)工具，实施了一种合理的项目后评估战略，并用于在培训完成后对参与者进行跟踪。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

NON-TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site in Multidisciplinary Physics and Materials Science offers undergraduate students a unique opportunity to engage in cutting edge research in basic and applied physics. The ultimate goal of the scheduled activities is to provide students with a robust platform to successfully launch their careers in all areas of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The Multidisciplinary Physics REU Site provides a balance between formal instruction, independent research, and professional development. In this manner, the students are taught the basic skills needed to conduct research, while at the same time becoming aware of the larger scientific community and their contribution within it. Activities are tailored to enhance student research skills along with an emphasis on preparing them for advanced careers in STEM. Activities include a technical writing workshop, special topic lectures by experts, field trips to local industries and research institutions, biweekly networking events, and a student-centered seminar series. Students can choose from a variety of projects that span the multidisciplinary nature of physics and materials science in either computational or experimental areas. The activities and workshops that students engage in address the challenges that students from community colleges and minority institutions face when transitioning to four-year universities and graduate programs in STEM. TECHNICAL DETAILS: Each participating student will benefit from spending a summer on UofM campus immersed in a research-intensive program in the Physics and Materials Science Department. Under the tutelage and guidance of an experienced faculty researcher and mentor, students conduct research in multidisciplinary areas of physics through synthesis, characterization, modeling, and computation. Students can choose from a variety of research projects from four main themes: Theme 1: Nanomaterials for Energy Applications, Theme 2: Biophysics, Theme 3: Photonics/Plasmonics, and Theme 4: Computational Physics. Students are given the opportunity to continue their research with their appointed faculty mentor after the REU program has finished. Following the orientation (welcome note, laboratory safety training, library training, and campus orientation) and appointment of a mentor, all students receive hands-on training with research-grade instruments such as profilometer, light and electron microscopes, spectroscopes, other materials analysis tools, and computational tools and techniques. Students that successfully complete this research training are well-equipped for STEM careers and graduate programs in the same field or in a related discipline. This REU site is primarily focused on providing access and opportunities to students in the local mid-South area, nearby HBCUs, local community colleges, and is open to first and second year students. A sound strategy of post-program assessment utilizing the Undergraduate Research Student Self-Assessment (URSSA) tool, is implemented and used for and tracking of participants post completion of the training.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.