The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) provides opportunities for talented undergraduate students to participate in research projects during a 10-week period each summer. REU "sites" are established by the NSF in all fields of science, mathematics, and engineering at host institutions throughout the US. The University of Washington REU Physics site, established in 1995 and is hosted by the Department of Physics. It was co-hosted with the Department of Energy's National Institute for Nuclear Theory until 2024. The program directors are Gray Rybka and Arthur Barnard.
The REU Physics program at the University of Washington differs from some others in that it covers most subfields of physics. All of the major groups in the department are participating: astrophysics and cosmology, atomic physics, condensed matter physics, nuclear physics, particle physics, physics education, biological physics, and computational physics. Our Department of Physics is famous for "table-top" experiments that push the bounds of precision and for neutrino physics and astrophysics. We also have vigorous theory groups, including the Institute for Nuclear Theory, which brings large numbers of visiting faculty to the UW year around. Thus there are many opportunities for students to do exciting work. Each year students have been accepted from institutions across the US. For summer 2025, we anticipate support for 13 students. Student selection is competitive and preference is given to students who will have completed physics studies through the junior year by the time our program begins. However, in some cases, seniors and highly qualified sophomores have been accepted.
The University of Washington is located in Seattle, a city that combines excellent outdoor recreational opportunities with the amenities of a major metropolitan center. The city is dramatically situated between the Cascade and Olympic Mountains, freshwater lakes, and Puget Sound.
The Physics/Astronomy building provides state-of-the-art laboratories for precision experiments and many superbly equipped shops, including a large student machine shop which participants in the program will use. The building is modern, meeting all requirements of the American Disabilities Act.