Introduction

      In the summer of 2008 the Department of Physics will host an NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates site. During the 10-week program students will live on campus while working alongside our faculty and graduate students on an ongoing research project. Students will get a view of physics very different from typical coursework.

Program Summary

• Research Project- Students can choose from several of the physics subfields represented at UC Davis. Each student will have a personalized project, to conclude with a 15-minute presentation to the rest of the REU group.

• Housing & Stipend - Students will live together on campus. The program provides housing in double occupancy rooms and meals; students who wish to can pay for single rooms. Our usual dormitories each have a hot tub and pool, always popular with the REU participants. Students will also receive a $390/week stipend and some support towards travel to and from the program.

• Student/Faculty Interaction - During the first two weeks of the program, faculty will give introductory talks to put the students on a common ground so they can discuss their research. Throughout the summer, weekly lunchtime gatherings will be held, with a faculty mentor present, in which students will discuss their work.

• Social Programs - The program will include one local and four out-of-town field trips, the latter mostly on weekends. Trips may have a scientific emphasis, such as touring a national laboratory or industry facility, or may be primarily recreational. See the descriptions of our past REU programs for examples.

• Students must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. This is a condition of our funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation.

• Students must have finished at least one year of college but may not have completed a B.S., B.A., or equivalent degree.

• College students from two-year or four-year institutions may apply. All students must be continuing their college education in Fall 2008.

• Strong preference is given to students who have completed at least one year of calculus-based introductory physics.

• Although there is some flexibility in dates, we normally ask that students be able to attend the program for at least 9 weeks, through August 15. If your college schedule requires you to leave before then, you may want to consider REU programs that better fit your availability.

• Review of applications will start February 15. We may make a few offers in late February, and initial offers for most projects will be made by March 4. Therefore, we strongly advise students to submit all materials by the end of February. We will continue to review applications as they arrive until all positions are filled.

• We do not send any rejection letters until the entire program is full, probably in early April. If you need to know the status of your application, feel free to ask us about it at any time.

• Most offers are made in March, with a few in late February or early April. Each offer is for a specific project, and the faculty mentor will discuss the details with the applicant. Usually we give students a one-week deadline to accept or turn down our offers, but no student will be asked to make a decision before March 1.