This award supports the renewal of the Research Experiences for Undergraduates site in Physics at the University of Chicago. The award supports eight undergraduate students for ten weeks of summer research in topics including high-energy physics, cosmic-ray and astrophysics, general relativity, condensed-matter physics, nonlinear dynamics, and biophysics. The students will conduct leading-edge physics research while developing strong peer relationships with their cohort of diverse physics students. Regular work on the research project is augmented with formal presentations from faculty members on their research, and with field trips to both Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory. The interns will learn to communicate science by submitting a written report and making an oral presentation on their work. The program provides students with exposure to the breadth and unity of physics and brings the REU students into contact with one another. This creates the peer interactions among students that increase the program's excitement and vitality.
