Undergraduate Research in Nuclear Physics
at TUNL - Summer 2004 Annual Report
1. Introduction
The Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory (TUNL) has successfully completed a fifth Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer session in nuclear physics research during May - August, 2004. The REU group in this session consisted of eight students who were funded by National Science Foundation resources (grant no NSF-PHY-02-43776). Students participating in the TUNL program performed research with faculty and postdoctoral researchers in the TUNL collaboration, which includes Duke University (Duke), North Carolina State University (NCSU), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) and other institutions in the central North Carolina area.
This year we saw growth in the applicant pool, which permitted us to target students from schools that have few local research opportunities. This year we made a total of twenty offers (8-female/ 12-male). Below, we provided an overview of biographical information for the participants.
TotalParticipants / Female / Rising Juniors / Physics Ph.D. Granting
Home Institution
8 / 2 / 4 / 1
2. Scope of Activities
2.1 Student Research Projects
A variety of research projects were made available to the students. The projects involved construction of apparatus, target preparation, development of detector arrays, data analysis, etc. Frequently the students also participated in week-long data-collection runs by taking shifts with other graduate students and post-docs in their group.
In making project assignments, the students were matched with research projects by balancing the student's interest with any special skills or experience that would help to promote a successful project. To assist in this process, the students provided input by reviewing a list of project descriptions, which included a paragraph of physics motivation and expected student research activities, and rating their interest in each of the projects. This gave us guidance in making project assignments.
In many cases the projects involved two research advisors; this ensured that the students could easily seek guidance or advice from one of their advisors and improved the likelihood that students would ask for help when they didn't understand something. In all cases, at the end of the summer the students were able to demonstrate a positive contribution to their research project. See Appendix A for a summary of the student project assignments.
2.2 Written and Oral Presentations.
Throughout the summer, the students were encouraged to discuss their projects. The students gave formal descriptions of their research, first in week three by orally describing their research group and project objectives to other REU students, and then in week seven by preparing a three-transparency overview of their project. This approach was intended both, to encourage the students to think about how to describe their research to their peers and to encourage physics discussion amongst the students.
During the final week of the summer program, students presented their research to the TUNL laboratory community in a 10-minute talk that followed the American Physical Society (APS) contributed talk format. The students were also required to summarize their research in a written report that was given to their faculty advisor and the program director.
This year, we were pleased to have seven of the students present their research in the NSF sponsored Conference Experience for Undergraduates (CEU) poster session at the Division of Nuclear Physics meeting in Chicago.
2.3 Seminars
In the first week of the program, the students were instructed in standard laboratory operation and safety procedures. After this training, they were given free access throughout the nuclear facility. An additional educational lecture on basic nuclear physics concepts was given to introduce the students to various topics in nuclear physics.
Throughout the summer, the students attended the "Advances in Physics" lecture series, where local faculty and postdoctoral researches gave general overviews of ongoing activities. This gave the students a feel for the different areas of nuclear physics research pursued at TUNL.
Advances in Physics SeminarsJune 3 / Ryan Fitzgerald (UNC-CH) / Stellar Physics in the Laboratory
June 12 / Kevin Kramer (Duke) / Polarized 3He Technology and its Application at HIGS
June 26 / Werner Tornow (Duke) / Neutrinos
July 3 / Dick Prior (North Georgia College and State U) / An Introduction to HIGS, the High-Intensity g-Ray Source
July 17 / Diane Markoff (NCSU) / Fundamental Physics Experiments with Neutrons
July 24 / John Blondin (NCSU) / Simulating Supernovae on Supercomputers
In addition to the formal "Advances in Physics" seminar series, graduate students meet with the REU students every-other week at the TUNL Informal Lunch Talks (TILT). TILT is a student organized meeting time, where the graduate students present their research and have discussion about various aspects of student life at Duke, UNC-CH and NCSU. These lunchtime meetings are intended to promote REU/graduate student interaction in a more casual and open environment.
2.4 Group training activities.
The students took part in a group training exercise where they interpreted observations from neutron scattering measurements ((n, n'g) reaction) to identify several "unknown" samples. By measuring the neutrons and g-rays that were emitted during irradiation with pulsed neutrons the students were able to deduce the spectroscopy of nuclear levels in the unknown samples (28Si, 32S targets). The students compared their observations with compiled level structure data to successfully identify the samples. While performing the experiment, students were divided into sub-groups that were each assigned tasks that included preparing detectors, tuning beam, and analyzing data. The activity gave the students the opportunity to experience all aspects of planning for and running a complex experiment.
After the experiment was completed each sub-group gave an oral presentation which explained the physical processes at work in their particular detector and the analysis that was performed to identify the unknown samples. The students not only discovered that nuclear spectroscopy is a powerful tool for identifying the composition of materials, but they also learned the importance of teamwork in the processes of carrying out experimental research, organizing results and explaining results to their peers. This exercise was presented at the Conference on the Application of Accelerators in Research and Industry CAARI 2004 in Forth Worth, Texas by a post-doctoral researcher, Alex Crowell, in a poster titled "Experiments to Introduce Students in the TUNL REU Program to Nuclear Spectroscopy Techniques".
2.5 Department Tours
The Physics Department at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill hosted the REU students for a half-day tour of their department. The students were given an overview of ongoing research within the department, and were then given a tour of several research laboratories. Following the Physics Department tour, the students returned to TUNL where we celebrated with our annual Ice Cream Social.
We also visited the North Carolina State University campus and physics department. Our afternoon in Raleigh began with an "Advances in Physics" seminar given by John Blondin, a professor in the NCSU Astrophysics group, who spoke about "Simulating Supernovae on Supercomputers". Following the seminar we viewed a demo showing how mass transport model codes simulate the dynamics of stellar evolution. Afterwards, we visited several condensed matter physics laboratories where we saw students working with, for example, electron microscopes and other surface preparation devices.
2.6 Social Activities
Activities were planned throughout the summer to promote interaction amongst the REU students and the TUNL community. The students attended a Durham Bulls game on Memorial Day, and were then greeted by the laboratory staff at a welcome reception on May 27 to kickoff the first day of the program. Other activities ranged from a "Carolina Barbeque" picnic that was open to all of the students and their research advisors to smaller picnics held by the individual research groups. In addition we celebrated one of the hottest days of summer by holding an all-lab Ice Cream Social, and by making homemade ice cream using heavy cream, fresh fruits and liquid nitrogen. At the end of summer, as is traditional, we said farewell to all of the visiting scientists, including the REU students, with our annual pig-picking event.
Other activities that introduced the REU students to various attractions in the area included a trip to the Virginia International Raceway in Danville VA, a trip to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, a trip to Regency Park in Raleigh to hear the North Carolina Symphony and to see 4th of July fireworks, and a visit to the Duke University Primate Center.
3. Program Evaluation
Each week, the students met with the program director to discuss any issues that had arisen. Normally these meetings were brief, lasting for only ten-to-fifteen minutes. It was during this period that students began to develop an approach for explaining their research projects; first the students gave a short informal oral introduction of their project. Later in the summer they gave a three-transparency presentation to the other students. Based on these presentations it was possible to evaluate the understanding that the students had gained, and the progress and role of the students in the research activities. In some cases it was evident from the presentations that the students needed supportive comments that encouraged them to play a more responsible role in their research group.
At the end of the summer program, the students were given a comprehensive evaluation form to provide feedback about their TUNL REU experience. The form contains simple yes/no questions, questions that ask them to check all that apply, and also more general questions asking them to explain their opinions or give us advice that will improve future REU experiences.
The students appear to have been well placed in the different research groups. In describing their research projects, the students overwhelmingly selected descriptors of "interesting", "educational" and "worthwhile". The students followed up with comments like "I definitely learned a lot during my time at TUNL about the experimental process, and about nuclear physics. Have the chance to work in a lab setting has been a great experience and has given me a taste of what graduate school, and even a research job in general, would be like" and "My experience was one that helped me broaden my knowledge of experimental physics. I learned more than the subject matter of physics, I learned useful techniques and technologies. This experience goes so much further than what the classroom can teach you. From one undergrad to another, it is imperative to participate in an REU program such as TUNL's."
Students also experienced the highs and lows of research as was indicated by the comments, "Everyone in my group was awesome. They were constantly trying to help me have a better understanding of not only the physics going on but the whole process itself. At the same time they gave me a detailed glimpse of the 'graduate' world." Another student expressed some frustration with the process of performing research while learning the physics by adding the comment, "It would have been helpful if I would have learned more of the physics behind the project early on (in the summer)."
In describing their overall REU experience each student selected the terms "positive", "learned a lot", and "worthwhile". Overall, the students indicated that they had gained a realistic view of research, and in all cases the students indicated that they were considering attending graduate school. One student added, "I had a great time and it made up part of the best summer of my life. I learned a lot and got to know a lot of great people. I learned a lot about physics and myself, and I could not ask anything more of the REU program that wasn't done. Thank you for the chance to work (at TUNL)."
At present, the four juniors from the 2004 program are making decisions about their futures. This year we have had only one 2004 TUNL REU student apply to an affiliated university (UNC). Of the remaining three, two plan to attend graduate school elsewhere, while one will enter the workforce. We are encouraged by their continued interest in physics education and research.
4. Prospects for 2004
We are presently reviewing 86 applications to the TUNL REU program in nuclear physics. The applicant pool again has many outstanding students, and the competition (amongst REU sites) to attract the best students has already begun.
The students from the 2004 program provided encouraging and helpful comments and suggestions that will help to improve the REU experience at TUNL. In most cases the students wanted more social interaction with graduate students and more information about other physics research programs and major initiatives in the graduate schools.
5. Appendix A: List of Participants and Projects
Student Name / Home Institution / Project*Cara Campbell / Mary Washington / Construction and Characterization of a 3He Gas Scintillator
*Johnny Cesaratto / John Carrol U / Development of Polarized 3He systems
*Michael Downes / Drexel University / The 11B(d, n)12C Reaction at 120 - 160 keV
Hunter Elliot / Colorado College / OK-V Cavity Mirror Stability Characterization of
Vibrations and Drift
*Dan Liss / Greenville College / Three-body Photodisintegration of 3He with Double Polarization
*Josh Navikonis / Hobart and Wm Smith Colleges / CHArged Particle Si-Strip (CHAPSS) array at TUNL
*Crystal Storey / Longwood University / 3He Depolarization Study for the Neutron Electric Dipole Moment Experiment
*Christopher Wolter / St. Mary's University of MN / Commissioning the TUNL/NNSA HPGe Clover Detector
* Presented their TUNL REU research results at the APS Division of Nuclear Physics meeting in Chicago as a part of the Conference Experience for Undergraduates program.