REU Site: Fostering Inclusive Excellence at the Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute

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Uncovering the mysteries of how the world works and inspiring and educating the next generation of students to continue to pursue elucidating nature's secrets is the goal of this program. This award supports the renewal of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site in nuclear science at Texas A&M University. The site will support ten undergraduates per year in ten weeks of research during the summer months. Involvement in research at the undergraduate level is a critical component in increasing the numbers and preparation of students entering graduate programs and STEM careers. This site primarily targets students who lack opportunities to research in nuclear science at their home institutions. However, all students are considered for participation.The student research projects are at the leading edge of nuclear science, including sub-fields such as nuclear astrophysics, weak interactions, nuclear dynamics and thermodynamics, nuclear structure, the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), atomic ionization, and radiation effects. Students will complete projects that can primarily be described as theoretical, experimental, or analytical. However, all students will learn about each research aspect during the program. The Cyclotron Institute is a Department of Energy (DOE) Nuclear Physics Center of Excellence. The facilities include a K500 superconducting cyclotron, a K150 cyclotron, and associated state-of the art detector systems. The Cyclotron Institute and the physics department are also home base for involvement in experiments at other facilities. The faculty are leading scientists in the field and have a history of working with undergraduates in their research programs.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.