The goal of this project is to encourage more outstanding undergraduates to pursue research careers. Considerable experience has been gained by conducting two successful REU sites in the las three years. For this project, the key aspects of the 1987-88 and 1988-1989 REU sites will be continued including: (1) a successful recruitment program, (2) careful matching of student interests with available research projects, (3) an efficient management structure, (4) research assignments the students can quickly grasp and complete in the proposed time frame, and (5) follow-up procedures designed to maintain student interest in research. The five research projects will involve probabilistic methods, stat-of-the-art solid testing, scale modeling, structural testing, and soil-structure interaction. Two students will be involved in each project to allow for student interaction. Interaction will also be fostered by group seminars and meetings. Follow-through strategies will include a newsletter mailed for a period of two years to the REU student. The students will have full use of our advanced laboratories and computational facilities.
