9322801 King This activity will partially support a summer undergraduate research group at NIST/Gaithersburg. To strengthen undergraduate AMO physics curricula, the program director will work with department chairs and directors of centers of excellence to identify two undergraduates from each institution who are prepared for, and would benefit from off-campus summer research in AMO physics. The selected 20 students will spend 12 weeks actively engaged, one-on-one with NIST staff physicists in projects combining quests for fundamental knowledge with direct applications to problems of national importance. Seeing how they can make a difference and learning about non-academic alternatives for research careers are side benefits. Student and advisor will be paired based on background and interests, to facilitate dialogue between the student, the student's physics professors and NIST advisor about the intended project - ensuring the student arrives at NIST ready to contribute, and preparing the student's professors for follow-up in the fall. The students will collectively live in a nearby furnished apartment complex and participate in the many NIST seminars and in a weekly SURFing the Physics Lab Summer Seminar Series. The students will all present their research in a seminar at NIST and be encouraged to participate in a scientific conference during the following year. Costs for this program will be shared by NIST, NSF and the participating schools. Given the significant lack of diversity in the present physics work force, this partnership will aggressively seek out competitive students from underrepresented group s and with disabilities. *** ! ! B 3 Times New Roman Symbol & Arial 1 Courier r r 0 0 r " h G ' C R:WW20USERABSTRACT.DOT Denise Henry Denise Henry
