Pending funding approval department of Physics will  host a National Science Foundation sponsored REU spanning all research topics within Physics.  Experimental, Computational and Theoretical Research spans from astro-particle physics to nanoscale condensed matter, to material memory physics, to optics and photonics to gravitational waves and cosmology. Students who are physics, chemistry, material science,  engineer and math majors and have an interest in physics research are eligible.  Students who are 18 years old and US Citizens from across the country are eligible to apply.

• This application is for any eligible undergraduate who has not yet graduated by end of Spring 2024.
• You will need a 3.0  cumulative grade point average (B equivalent) to qualify.
• You must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident (Green Card) ** unless you are a Penn State  Physics Student **
• You must be 18 years of age by the start of the program.
• The application also requests the names of one or two references for recommendation letters. We will email these people requesting a recommendation letter about you. You should contact these people in advance.  As a suggestion these letters could be from your faculty advisor and a relevant science professor.
• You will be asked to indicate your first, second and third choice of research area on the application form, and discuss your research interests and background. This will help ensure that the research project you will have is indeed one you wish to do.  Take a screen shot of the required application essays and please refer to the research page to prepare these statements in advance for a convincing application.
• We also ask you to upload a copy of an unofficial transcript or email it to reu@phys.psu.edu

The selection process will start as soon as we receive your forms and letters. The main criteria for selection will be your academic record (coursework and grades), application essay and letters. We will also consider your interest in the research topics available, and how a research project fits into your academic and career goals and prior life-experience. The main aim to the selection process is to identify students who are well qualified, who have a keen interest in materials or physics and who want to find out whether a career in this field is right for them.