Participant Support: REU Site: Research in Symmetries at the University of Kentucky

We propose a REU Site program in Physics and Astronomy. The objectives are to: a) Bring positive STEM experiences through participant undergraduates in Rural Kentucky / Central Appalachia with limited research opportunities back to their local colleges, b) Train participants with skills relevant to graduate research in contemporary fields of physics and/or enhancement of the STEM workforce in Rural Kentucky / Central Appalachia; and c) Augment individual research programs with qualified personnel in a structured environment. The 10-week summer program will support 8 participants each year. Their housing, food allowance, and stipend and travel to and from the university will be supported by the program. We will focus recruitment efforts in colleges and universities through Kentucky and in the Appalachia. We will admit half of the students from local two-year colleges and universities without access to research facilities. We will also actively recruit from local URM-serving institutions and Berea College, which predominantly serves low-income and ethnically diverse population. Undergraduates from the University of Kentucky will attend the activities and benefit from participation in the program but be supported mainly on individual PI grants and University Summer Research grants, as in the past. A concerted effort will be made to recruit and admit external students to the program. They will do research projects with faculty mentors from the University of Kentucky. Their research will be augmented with a social and scientific program, including a tour of ORNL, a “Night Out with the Stars”, a trip to the Red River Gorge, as well as training and workshops several times during the week. Students will present their final results at a poster session at UK, and submit a final report to UKnowlege.