This award supports an REU site at Washington State University (WSU) to focus on performing fundamental research on systems far removed from ambient conditions of pressure and temperature. The ten week program will Involve research projects on various aspects of extreme matter, a core strength of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Washington State University. Specific systems include Bose-Einstein condensates, few-body physics at extremely low temperatures, quantum chaos, and matter subjected to large pressures. Research projects will have well-defined goals that can result in peer-reviewed publications. The students will benefit from state-of-the-art facilities, high mentor-to-student ratio, and extensive faculty experience in supervising undergraduates. Students in their first or second year of college are especially encouraged to apply, as are students from four-year colleges that have limited research facilities. The recruiting effort is aimed at bringing in a group that is diverse in every respect, including ethnicity, gender, academic preparation, and economic background. In addition to participating in interdisciplinary, hands-on research, the students will benefit from a seminar series that highlights current topics in extreme matter research. Scheduled social events will also provide students with a collegial sense of community. This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.
