The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) provides opportunities for talented undergraduate students to participate in research projects during a 10-week period each summer. REU "sites" are established by the NSF in all fields of science, mathematics, and engineering at host institutions throughout the US. The University of Washington REU Physics site, established in 1995 and now in it's 19th year, is co-hosted by the Department of Physics and the Department of Energy's National Institute for Nuclear Theory. The program directors are Subhadeep Gupta and Alejandro Garcia.
The REU Physics program at the University of Washington differs from some others in that it covers most subfields of physics. All of the major groups in the department are participating: astrophysics and cosmology, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, physics education, biological physics, and computational physics. Our Department of Physics is famous for "table-top" experiments that push the bounds of precision and for neutrino physics and astrophysics. We also have vigorous theory groups, including the Institute for Nuclear Theory, which brings large numbers of visiting faculty to the UW year around. The INT, in partnership with the Astronomy Department and the Center for Experimental Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics, operates the largest computing cluster on campus. Thus there are many opportunities for students to do exciting work. Each year students have been accepted from institutions across the US. For summer 2015, we anticipate support for 10 students. Student selection is competitive and preference is given to students who will have completed physics studies through the junior year by the time our program begins. However, in some cases, seniors and highly qualified sophomores have been accepted.
The University of Washington is located in Seattle, a city that combines excellent outdoor recreational opportunities with the amenities of a major metropolitan center. The city is dramatically situated between the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, freshwater lakes, and Puget Sound.
The
Physics/Astronomy building provides state-of-the-art
laboratories for precision experiments and many superbly equipped
shops, including a large student machine shop which participants in the program
will use. The building is modern, meeting all requirements of the American Disabilities Act.