REU Site: Physics at Kansas State University, Interactions of Matter, Light and Learning

该奖项支持堪萨斯州立大学物理学本科生研究经验(REU)网站。该网站每年吸引12名学生参与研究项目，包括激光与原子和纳米级物质的相互作用，以及中微子和基本粒子碰撞的调查和物理教育研究。从教师导师那里可以获得一系列的项目，让本科生参与最先进的研究。以前的学生报告说，他们在职业生涯、研究生工作和/或专业学校方面做出了更明智的决定。无论他们选择继续从事物理学或相关技术领域，还是选择跳槽到不同的领域，聪明的学生在职业生涯早期做出正确选择都符合国家利益。学生们将研究原子和分子在强烈和超快的光学和X射线脉冲中的行为，如何使用高性能计算来预测分子性质和动力学，纳米粒子在溶液中的性质，以及通过简化模型进行蛋白质自组装，并将有助于建立下一代高能粒子探测硬件，改进中微子振荡的测量，并帮助教师使用基于研究的评估工具。这一经历将通过一系列讲座来补充，这些讲座将为这些学生提供开展项目所需的背景知识。参与者将获得向不同同事解释他们的研究工作的经验。社会活动，无论是有组织的还是自发的，都将丰富这一本科生的研究经验。这一奖项反映了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。

This award supports the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site in Physics at Kansas State University. The site engages twelve students per year in research projects, which include the interaction of laser light with matter at atomic and nanoscale as well as investigations of neutrinos and elementary particle collisions and physics education research. A wide range of projects are available from faculty mentors that involve the undergraduates in state-of-the-art research. Previous student have reported being better informed decisions about careers, graduate work and/or professional school. Whether they choose to continue in physics or a related technical field, or choose to move to a different area, bright students making good choices early in their careers is in the national interest.Students will do research on how atoms and molecules behave in intense and ultra-fast optical and x-ray pulses, how high-performance computation can be used to predict molecular properties and dynamics, the properties of nanoparticles in solution, and protein self-assembly with simplified models, and will help build next-generation hardware for high-energy particle detection, improve measurements of neutrino oscillations, and help faculty use research-based assessment tools. This experience will be supplemented by a series of lectures that provide the background these students need to carry out their projects. The participants will gain experience in explaining their research work to a variety of colleagues. Social activities, both organized and spontaneous, will enrich this undergraduate research experience.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.