9507852 Mader This grant will support the study of nuclear systems under the extreme conditions created in heavy-ion collisions. The goal is to better understand the nuclear force through model simulations of heavy-ion collisions. Model simulation allows the effects from the individual nucleon-nucleon collisions, the strong nuclear force and the finite size of the nucleus to be probed individually. Through comparison of model predictions with experimental measurements, assumptions of the model can be tested and improved leading to a better understanding of the nuclear force. This grant will support summer research by a faculty member and several undergraduate students at Hope College. ***