9531053 Ritchie This REU-Site award will provide an opportunity for ten upper-division undergraduate students to engage in experimental and theoretical condensed matter physics research during a nine week summer program. Examples of research projects include: materials structural characterization; imaging of magnetic recording media structures using magnetic force microscopy; ion channeling studies of semiconductor alloy films on silicon substrates; scanning transmission electron microscopy studies of the structure of carbon nanotubules and of nanometer-size particles; phonon lifetime studies in semiconductors; quantum mechanical-based simulations of complex materials and biological systems; and quantum Monte Carlo simulations to calculate the electronic structure of atoms and molecules, properties of clusters of atoms; and quantum fluids and solids. %%% Minorities and women will be particularly targeted for recruitment nationwide, through cooperation with agencies involved in increasing their participation in scientific research. Research results will be presented by participants, and prepared for publication the "on-line" program evaluation strategy developed during the previous funding period will be expanded, with particular emphasis placed on determining how the individual student's needs were met in terms of establishing and fostering their desire to pursue a research career.
