REU Participants

Physics Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program

May 19 - July 24, 2024

Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2024

A summer research program in physics for undergraduates.

APPLY NOW!!

If there are questions, please email physreu@uark.edu. Thanks.

Supported by the National Science Foundation

Overview

Selected undergraduate students perform frontier research during the summer REU 2024 on experimental and theoretical projects in one of their chosen research areas.

Research Areas:

Nano-materials and Condensed Matter
Photonics, Lasers, and Quantum Optics
Soft Condensed Matter and Biophysics

Additional activities include social events jointly with other REU's, field trips to industrial labs, seminars on ethics, use of a research library, and technical writing and research presentations.

Physics majors or those in fields related to Optics and Materials Science are eligible to apply. Students from small colleges and groups that are underrepresented in science and engineering, including women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

2024 REU Project Descriptions

The project descriptions below will give you an idea of the type of project that you will work in the associated professor's lab. Actual projects may vary somewhat from these descriptions. To find out more about a project, click on it. To find out more about a professor, click on his or her name.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical, *=Projects for Physics REU 2024
NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics

Professor	Research Area¹	Project Title
Salvador-Barraza-Lopez*	T, NMCM	Predicting Shape from Atomic Bonds and Atomic Locations *
Laurent-Bellaiche	T, NMCM	Static and Dynamical Properties of Perovskites
Hugh Churchill*	E, NMCM	Quantum Devices Based on Atomically Thin Materials*
Huaxiang Fu*	T, NMCM	Understanding and Predicting Technological Important Materials *
Jin Hu*	E, NMCM	Quantum material synthesis and properties *
Pradeep Kumar*	E, SMBP	Adaptation bottlenecks and evolution of bacteria *
Jiali Li*	E, SMBP	Science and Applications of Nanoscale Materials *
Hiroyuki Nakamura*	E, NMCM	Studying Nanoscale Vibrations Using Lasers*
Gregory-Salamo*	E, NMCM,SMBP	Exploring Nanoscale Materials*
Woodrow Shew*	E, SMBP	Statistical and Nonlinear Physics of the Brain *
Surendra Singh*	E, QOPL, SMBP	Lasers Quantum Optics and Optical Studies of Biomolecules *
Paul Thibado	E, NMCM	Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM) of Twisted Bilayer Graphene*
Reeta Vyas*	T, QOPL	Interaction of Non-classical Light with Simple Material System *
Yong Wang*	E, SMBP, QOPL	Single-molecule & single-cell nanometric biophysics*

¹ E=Experimental
T=Theoretical
NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter
QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers
SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics

2022-2015 REU Participants

2022

The table below summarizes various projects on which students worked.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical, NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics.

REU Student and Instituion	Professor	Research Area	Project Title
Ashley Allen, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Using liposomal models to study the binding kinetics of cytoskeletal proteins
Jonathan Barrett, Wheaton College	Dr. Hiro Nakamura	E, QOPL	Building Raman measurement system for 2D materials
Jeremy Choh, Hendrix College	Dr. Hugh Churchill	E, NMCM	Optimization of Quantum Device Fabrication for the MonArk Quantum Foundry
Jessica Fink, Missouri State University	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	The Effects of Magnetic Field on Bacterial Motility
Alexandra Lee, University of North Carolina Asheville	Dr. Reeta Vyas	E T, QOPL	Laguerre-Gaussian Beam Fraunhofer Diffraction of Varying Radial Indices
Chasen McPherson, Oklahoma State University	Dr. Hugh Churchill	E, NMCM	Searching for Superconductivity in Twisted Double-Bilayers of WS2
Lucas Miller, Wilkes University	Dr. Jin Hu	E, NMCM	Characterization of Ge, SiGe, and GeSn Films Grown on Si Using UHV-CVD Reactor
Sam Mortenson, Drake University	Dr. Woodrow Shew	E, SMBP	Orthonasal Versus Retronasal Olfaction: How the Brain Encodes Sensory Input
Arantxa Pardue, Belmont University	Dr. Jin Hu	E, NMCM	Flux Growth of hBN single crystals
Leslie Paul, Arkansas Tech University	Dr. Jiali Li	E, SMBP	De Novo Assembly of DNA and mRNA Reads from Nanopore Sequencing
Abigail Strack, Wheaton College	Dr. Surenda Singh	E, QOPL	Polarization Synthesis of Hermite-Gaussian Beams Using a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer
Lee Thompson, Arkansas Tech University	Dr. Hiro Nakamura	E, QOPL	Growth of Few Layer WSe2 for Nonlinear Optics Study
Ryan Yoder, William & Mary	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	Silver Ion’s on Bacteria Tumbling rates and Fluorescent Flagella Labelling

2021

The table below summarizes various projects on which students worked. To find out more about a professor, click on his or her name.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical, NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics.

REU Student and Institution		Professor	Research Area	Project Title
	Hope Dannar, University of Northern Colorado	Dr. Surenda Singh	E, QOPL	Exploring Different Ways to Generate LG Beams
	Dawn Ford, Univeristy of Virginia	Dr. Jin Hu	E, NMCM	Property Tuning of Layered Materials by Electrochemical Intercalation
	Christopher Hocevar, Oklahoma State University	Dr. Gregory Salamo	E, NMCM	Using Raman Spectroscopy to Determine Composition of our Growth of Germanium-Tin Nano Structures
	Juan Martinez, University of Arkansas at Little Rock	Dr. Reeta Vyas	T, QOPL	Diffraction of Laguerre Gaussian Beams from two parallel slits
	Xavier Mleziva, University of Wisconsin Whitewater	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	The Growth of Escherichia Coli in Microgravity
	Ayla Osgood, Mount Holyoke College	Dr. Woodrow Shew	E, SMBP	Using Deep Learning to Improve Motion Tracking
	Steven Rhodes, Middle Tennessee State University	Dr. Huaxiang Fu	T, NMCM	Numerical Analysis of LiZnSb as a Candidate Hyperferroelectric
	Kaylee TenBarge, Butler University	Dr. Jin Hu	E, NMCM	Dimensionality Engineering of Electronic Bands in Layered ZrGeTe4 and HfGeTe4
	Mark Whitledge, Arkansas State University Jonesboro	Dr. Hiro Nakamura	E, QOPL	Building an Ultralow-Frequency Raman Spectroscopy System
	Seth Williams, Arkansas Tech University	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Analyzing motility of E. coli using Differential Dynamic Microscopy

2019

The table below summarizes various projects on which students worked. To find out more about a professor, click on his or her name.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical,

NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics.

REU Student and Institution		Professor	Research Area	Project Title
	Brycelynn Bailey, Arkansas Tech University, AR	Dr. Jin Hu	E, NMCM	Nanostructures Growth of Topological Quantum Materials
	Anna Corbitt, Southern Arkansas University, AR	Dr. Jin Hu	E, NMCM	Growth and Characterization of 1T-TaS2 and 1T-TaSe2
	Albert Du, North Central College, Naperville, IL	Dr. Salvador-Barraza Lopez	T, NMCM	Energy barrier of ferro-to-paraelectric transitions of hole and electron doped group-IV monochalcogenide monolayers
	Kayleigh Johnson, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, AR	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Bacterial motility and chemotaxis at dierent concentrations of Magnesium Sulfate
	Matthew Kurilich, Middle Tennessee State University, TN	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	The Motion of Bacteria in Various Media
	Michael Mastalish, Marquette University, WI	Dr. Hugh Churchill	E, NMCM	Measuring the Excitonic Insulator Transition in Ta2NiSe₅
	Nathan Murillo, Oklahoma Baptist University, OK	Dr. Surendra Singh	E, QOPL	A Comparative Study of the Phase Structure of HG and LG Beams
	Victoria Norman, The University of Scranton, PA	Dr. Woodrow Shew	E, SMBP	Behavioral Consequences of Abnormal Development of a Fly’s Nervous System
	Jake Richter, Texas A&M University at Commerce, TX	Dr. Gregory Salamo	E, NMCM	Analyzing Linear Dislocation Density of Ge1-x Snx/Ge interfaces as Layer Thickness changes using X-ray Diffraction
	Fernando Salazar-Salas, East Central University, Ada, OK	Dr. Paul Thibado	E, NMCM	Modeling, building, and Analyzing, Energy Harvesting Circuit for Graphene
	De'Neshia Strawter, Fort Valley State University	Dr. Reeta Vyas	T, QOPL	Diffraction of LG beam by square aperture and cantor set

2018

The table below summarizes various projects on which students worked. To find out more about a professor, click on his or her name.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical,
NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics.

REU Student and Institution		Professor	Research Area	Project Title
	Ariel Rogers, Truman State University, MO	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	Single-Cell Investigation of the Effects of DC Electric Current on Bacteria
	Aiden Glaser, Vassar College, NY	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Stochastic Analysis of Phenotypic Switching and the Development of a Portable Photometer
	Emily Walla, University fo Arizona, AZ	Dr. Surendra Singh	E, QOPL	The Role of Symmetry in the Diffraction of Laguerre-Gauss Vortex Beams

2017

The table below summarizes various projects on which students worked. To find out more about a professor, click on his or her name.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical,
NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics.

REU Student and Institution		Professor	Research Area	Project Title
	Sophia Andaloro, University of Dallas, TX	Dr. Surendra Singh	E, QOPL	The Diffraction of Laguerre-Gaussian Vortex Beams Carrying Equal and Opposite Angular Momentum
	Alex J. Bishop, University of Alabama, AL	Dr. Paul Thibado	E, QOPL	Molecular Dynamics Modeling of Monolayer Graphene
	Lauren Corby, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, AR	Dr. Fisher Yu	E, NMCM	Study of high-temperature operation of materials and LEDs for 3D high density power modules
	Nicholas Corkill, Loyola University, Chicago, IL	Dr. Gregory Salamo	E, NMCM	Probing In(ga)N/GaN Quantum Wells Using Photoluminescence
	Joseph Delmar, University of Scranton, PA	Dr. Salvador-Barraza-Lopez	T, NMCM	Two-dimensional transitions and structural degeneracies of silicene
	Maya Kedem, Fort Valley State University	Dr. Woodrow Shew	E, SMBP	New techniques for automated analysis of rat behavior
	Sophia McKinney, Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, AR	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Dynamic Response of Yeast Cells using Automated Microfuidic Devices
	Peter Murphy, SUNY at Geneseo, NY	Dr. Hugh Churchill	E, NMCM	Optoelectronic Properties of Phosphorene
	Janet Piefer, Juniata College	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	Translational and Rotational Diffusion of Bacteria Under the Influence of Direct Current
	Ariel Rogers, Truman State University, MO	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	Single-Cell Investigation of the Effects of Low Electric Current on E. coli Bacteria
	Connor Ross, Rhodes College, TN	Dr. Reeta Vyas	T, QOPL	Higher Order Intensity Functions for Degenerate Parametric Oscillators

2016

The table below lists various projects on which students worked. To find out more about a professor, click on his or her name.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical,
NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics.

REU Student & Institution		Professor	Research Area	Project Title
	Zachary Browley, University of Central Arkansas, AR	Dr. Joseph Herzog	E, QOPL	Characteristics of Au Nanowire Arrays on GaAs for Optimal Optical Enhancement
	Crystal Brown, Ouachita Baptist University, AR	Dr. Salvador-Barraza-Lopez	T, NMCM	Majorana Fermions
	Bria Collier, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, AR	Dr. Fisher Yu	E, NMCM	Optically Pumped GeSn Laser
	Emily Ebeling, Truman State University, MO	Dr. Yong Wang	E, SMBP	Fitness Benets: A Lesson from Hybrid Organization of High-Copy Number Plasmids in Bacteria
	Orion Guan, Truman State University, MO	Dr. Jiali Li	E, SMBP	Artificial Photosynthesis Using Bilayer Lipid Membranes
	Cameron Hart, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, IN	Dr. Gregory Salamo	E, NMCM	Photoluminescence of Compositionally Graded AlGaN Semiconductors
	Kionna Henderson, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, AR	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Effect of Environmental Conditions on the Metabolism of Bacteria
	Hamilton Johnson, Ouachita Baptist University, AR	Dr. Hugh Churchill	E, NMCM	Methods of Stacking Atomically Thin Materials without High Temperature Heating
	Michael Linn, Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, MO	Dr. Huaxiang Fu	T, NMCM	Computational Methods for Determining Ferroelectric Properties of Potassium Niobate
	Steven Murray, Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, AR	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Real-time dynamics of cell-division of Saccharomyces cerevisiae
	Hyrum Richardson, Brigham Young University, UT	Dr. Surendra Singh	E, QOPL	Linear and Nonlinear Properties of Pancharatnam's Phase
	Jazmin Urioste, Arkansas Tech University, Russellville, AR	Dr. Woodrow Shew	E, SMBP	Experimental Systems for Studying the Sense of Touch in the Rat Whisker System
	Grace Woods, UC Santa Cruz, CA	Dr. Hugh Churchill	E, NMCM	Order-Disorder 2D Phase Transition of Layered GeSe

The table below lists title of the projects on which students worked. To find out more about a professor, click on his or her name.

E=Experimental, T=Theoretical,
NMCM=Nano-materials and Condensed matter, QOPL=Quantum Optics, Photonics, and Lasers, SMBP=Soft matter and Biophysics.

REU Student & Institution		Professor	Research Area ¹	Project Title
	Gabrielle Abraham, University of Arkansas, AR	Dr. Joseph Herzog	E, QOPL	Optical Enhancement of Photoluminescence with Colloidal Quantum Dots
	Kathryn Andonoro, Carnegie Mellon University, PA	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Effect of pressure and temperature on transcription elongation of T7 promoter by RNA polymerase
	Christopher Blankenship, Northeastern Oklahoma State in Talequah, OK	Dr. Jiali Li	E, SMBP	Characterization of Lipid Membrane, Ion Pump, and Salt Solution in Artificial Photosynthesis
	Sara Diletti, University at Buffalo, NY	Dr. Pradeep Kumar	E, SMBP	Gene regulatory systems in fluctuating environment
	Alex Dorio, University of Oklahoma, Norman OK	Dr. Salvador-Barraza-Lopez	T, NMCM	2D Lower Symmetry Materials for Valleytronics
	Sarah Freed, University at Buffalo, NY	Dr. Reeta Vyas	T, QOPL	Time Evolution of Discord of Two Coupled Quantum Dots in a Driven Cavity
	Joshua Nelson, Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS	Dr. Jiali Li	E, SMBP	Tuning Fork Based Force Sensing Probe Tip for Nanopore Experiments
	Nicole Nichiniello, University of Arkanssas at Monticello	Dr. Woodrow Shew	E, SMBP	Real-time recording of neural activity and controlled sensory feedback based on action potentials
	Paul Somers, Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, MO	Dr. Jacques Chakhalian	E, NMCM	X-Ray Reflectivity Measurements on Thin Film Superlattice and Electron Transport Measurements
	Kahlil Wade, Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia, AR	Dr. Jacques Chakhalian	E, NMCM	Electrical Transport and Atomic Force Microscopy
	Charlotte Welch, Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL	Dr. Surendra Singh	E, QOPL	Electrical Transport and Atomic Force Microscopy

Fellowship

Funding from the National Science Foundation will provide:

Stipend of $6000 for each participant,
Room and Board Allowance sufficient to cover dormitory and meal plan,
Travel Support from and to home town of participants,
Field Trip: sometime in June, to high-tech industrial labs in the Dallas area.

Eligibility

Undergraduates with Physics Majors or those in a field related to Optics and Materials Science are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to those applicants who have completed 60 hours of college credit prior to the program start date with GPA greater than 3.0 (4.0 scale).
US citizenship or permanent residency is required for NSF-REU fellowship.
Students who will graduate before December of the program year are not eligible.

Application

Application for 2024 REU will available in Dec. Interested applicants should complete the following steps by Feb. 15, 2024. Applications received after the deadline will be considered if any positions remain open.

Completing the Online Application Form - What You'll Need:

Ranked research projects - pick three research projects of interest and rank them. See REU Project Descriptions above.
Statement of interest - Make PDF copy of statement of interest for uploading
Resume and Transcript - Make PDF copies of your current CV/resume and transcripts for uploading.

Two letters of reference - Request two of your professors (preferably physics, math, or related areas) familiar with your academic work to send us letters of reference. The form that you will need is available here (REU Recommendation Form). Give this fillable form and/or its link to your professor. Letters of reference can be emailed (physreu@uark.edu) or mailed to Physics REU, Department of Physics, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701.

To Apply click [Apply Now!] at the upper right hand corner.

NOTE: Please note that demographic information provided in the application may be used to report statistics to the National Science Foundation or other reporting agencies in a summary form while keeping individual information confidential.

CONTACT

Professor Reeta Vyas
Department of Physics
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR 72701
Phone: (479) 575-6569 or (479) 575-2506
Fax: (479) 575-4580
Email: physreu@uark.edu or rvyas@uark.edu