Participants will have the opportunity to study the effectiveness of revisions made to the UIUC introductory physics sequence. The participant will be responsible for studying the relevant literature, analyzing data and creating questions to test conceptual understanding. Participants will also take part in an ongoing study to test retention of physics concepts.
Qualifications: Participants must have a good understanding of the concepts and problems in the introductory physics sequence. An interest in physics education is essential. General computing experience (programming, spreadsheets, HTML, ....) will be helpful.
We are developing techniques for the inversion of coherent x-ray diffraction patterns, both in one dimension and two. The data correspond to the dynamics of evolution of surfaces undergoing chemical reaction, and result in time dependent diffraction patterns. Algorithms for interpreting these patterns are working, but not very reliable or well-understood. The REU participant would contribute to improving the algorithms by gaining experience with their capabilities at a single time point, and extending to the full time series.
Qualifications: Suitable candidates should have taken courses in optics and computational methods.
A virus is studied which contains a nearly spherical (actually icosahedral) coat made of 240 proteins. The coat needs to^? disintegrate during infection, a process which is characterized through a transition temperature. In this project we seek to develop an Ising model on an icosahedral lattice and generalizations of such model to describe the stability of the virus coat, i.e., its stable and disordered phases. For this purpose we will use analytical theory and numerical simulation. Models will be adjusted to actual viral systems to understand the shift of transition temperatures in vaccines which are mutated viruses.
Qualifications: knowledge in statistical mechanics and computing language: Mathematica.
The Theoretical Biophysics Group at the Beckman Institute operates a very advanced computational laboratory in the area of molecular biophysics and biomolecular modeling. The group is developing software that permits the graphical representation and manipulation of biomolecules, e.g., the stretching of muscle proteins or the extraction of ligands from enzymes. The software combines the group's graphics program VMD and molecular dynamics modelling program NAMD. The hardware is a PC with advanced 3D graphics together with a so-called haptic device that contains a mechanical pointer which communicates into the program 6D information (position and orientation) and receives feedback from the computer in the form of a 3D force felt by the user. The project would involve learning to operate the device which will still be in the stage of development and to apply it to investigate a particular protein system.
Qualifications: Only a student with extraordinary computer skills (knowledge of C and C++, Windows NT, basic Unix), interested in graphics and high performance computing (skills can be learned, but high motivation necessary) as well as in application of physics to biomedicine could be considered since the hardware/software is still in development. Students need to have a good basis in classical mechanics. A detailed description of your computer experience is required when applying for this project.
The project will focus on quantum mechanical behavior of micron-scale electrical circuits. These "mesoscopic" devices are semiconductor microchips cooled to very low temperatures. In this state They exhibit non-classical behavior such as quantized conductance, tunneling through forbidden regions of space, and violations of the usual laws for analyzing circuits. Unlike conventional circuits, the flow of entropy will also play an important role. We will use a combnation of cryogenic and electronic measurement techniques to study these devices.
Qualifications: Ability to comprehend and use lab equipment, particularly electronics, after brief training period. Knowledge of Quantum mechanics.
High power laser beams will be used to produce and intense atomic metastable hydrogren beam for basic physics research.
Qualifications: Previous laboratory experience would be helpful.
Detectors: Development of detectors for a new measurement of the muon lifetime.
C++: Analysis of data from g-2 muon experiment.
Both projects involve high precision measurements related to weak interaction and standard model.
Qualifications: Fortran, C++
Dr. Errede's group is in the process of setting up a production facility for the fabrication of 300 ATLAS TileCal submodules, and approx 3000 photomultiplier tubes. Potential REU projects include purely mechanical problems, motion control via PC, electronics and data aquisition for PMT testing, and software and data analysis.
Qualifications: Familiarity with basics of HEP, familiarity with use of common tools, familiarity with use of common laboratory equipment (oscilloscopes, digital mulitmeters, etc.), knowledge/experience with programing (C or C++ is a benefit). Most important, interest and enthusiasm
An intriguing aspect of high temperature superconductors is that the BCS gap is zero for electrons moving in certain directions. One way to detect these zeros has been suggested recently, involving the dependence of the heat capacity of these superconductors at low temperatures on the angle between a strong magnetic field and those special directions. An REU student will be involved in an attempt to observe this effect by searching for a dependence of the heat capacity on the direction of the magnetic field. Much of the initial work had been done by another undergraduate student, but the actual measurements and data analysis will probably await the summer REU participant.
Qualifications: Unspecified.
Last Updated: 2-24-99