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Research Experiences for Undergraduates and Teachers

Information

The BYU summer 2023 REU/RET cohort is set. Applications will open up again for the 2024 program roughly Nov 1, 2023. 

The program will be June 12, 2023 - August 18, 2023 at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. Applications and recommendation letters are due Feb 13, 2023.

The BYU Department of Physics and Astronomy runs an NSF-funded summer research program for undergraduate students (REU) and secondary school teachers (RET). There are exciting opportunities in a number of areas including optics (using lasers of all kinds including ultrashort pulse and UV lasers), computer modeling, plasmas, solid state and thin film science, acoustics, theory, and astronomy.

REU: Undergraduate participants will receive a $6,000 stipend, round-trip travel expenses to Provo, Utah, free housing (for outside students), and a food stipend. In addition, after the program is over, selected students will be funded to travel to a regional or national conference to give a presentation on their research results.

RET: Teachers will be compensated at the same rate they get for teaching for a 10-week period during the academic year (to the extent that our budget permits). Out-of-town RET participants will also receive a $1,000 stipend to assist with housing and food for the duration of the program. See the RET tab above for many more details on RET-specific aspects of the program.

For some information about what our program is like, you can check out this recording of an informational zoom meeting we held on Jan 18, 2023 (video below); and this set of questions and answers transcribed from the chat and the Q&A session afterwards: REU-Info-Meeting-18-Jan-2023-Answers-to-Questions.pdf

Applications

Applications must be received by February 13, 2023, to receive full consideration. Click on the menu links above for more information, and the buttons above to apply online. We are especially interested in applicants from minority groups who are underrepresented in physics or who come from schools which don't have graduate research programs. The application will ask you for the following, so you might want to have this information handy (not a complete list):

  • Your GPA and your major GPA
  • A list of the physics and math courses you have taken/are taking, with grades
  • Your top four choices of advisors, and why you are interested in their projects (see “Projects” link for details on available advisors)
  • A short paragraph on how participating in the BYU REU program will help further your academic and career goals
  • A short paragraph on what attracts you to the BYU REU program in particular
  • A one page resume to include with your application
  • Contact information (email addresses) for two individuals who will write letters of recommendation for you

Requirements

Undergraduates in the REU program must be enrolled at an accredited U.S. college or university and be graduating after September 2023. Teachers in the RET program must be currently employed as a secondary school teacher. All participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent resident aliens. If you do not fit these requirements but would still like to be considered, please contact us to describe your situation.