University of ArkansasMicroelectronics-Photonics (microEP) Graduate Program

Summer Research for Undergrads (or, how to get a jump on grad school)

Ken Vickers – Director

Research Professor, Physics (1998 – present)

Eng Management, Texas Instruments (1980 – 1998)

479 575-2875 vickers@uark.edu

http://microEP.uark.edu

Fisk UniversityNovember 2007 Nashville, TN

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Why Undergrad Research Fall/Spring – do it at Fisk University

– Great way to know faculty members– Prepares you for success in summer programs– Lets you apply your classroom theory

Summer – do it somewhere– Fisk – great start to a compressed MS degree– Industry – great way to get on the “hire after

graduation” list of your targeted company– Other Universities – great way to get on the

“must fund” list of your targeted grad program

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Aspects of Summer Programs Industry

– Start looking in January at the latest– Use any on-campus career resources available– Use internet industry publications

Universities– Nationally funded programs on the internet

• www.nsf.gov• www.igert.org• www.agep.us

– Search university sites for “undergraduate research” to find locally funded opportunities

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Example of Internal FundingUA George Washington Carver Project

Originated in 1996 as a UA funded REU style partnership: http://www.uark.edu/depts/gradinfo/recruit/Carver/index.html

HBCU Administrators identify students matching research opportunities

Initiated by Colleges of Agriculture, Business, and Education

Now also supported by College of Engineering, Fulbright College, and five NSF REU sites on campus

Typically seventy-five students in these programs each summer

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NSF REU Program Attributes The NSF as Customer

– More US students choosing grad school– More underrepresented group students choosing

grad school– More highly skilled BS graduates entering the

workplace

The microEP Grad Program as Customer– Direct recruitment opportunity (matchmaking)– Distribution of “matchmakers” nationally– Peer “seal of approval” of program elements

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Understanding a Host Organization: (the microEP program as example) The educational objective of the microEP

program is to produce graduates that create and commercialize micro to nanoscale materials, devices, and systems.

This will be accomplished through rigorous interdisciplinary science/engineering graduate education; supplemented with soft skills, management, and entrepreneurial training.

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NSF REU Sites – microEP as an example Submitted proposal and was funded for summers

2001- 2003; 2nd proposal funded for 2004-2008. Included funding for REU students to take

summer graduate ethics class Included microEP Cohort methodology approach Viewed as a prime recruiting tool Dedicated three of twelve positions to Carver

institutions Expanded focus by 2004 to include coordination

of all undergrad research programs on campus to create a “community of summer researchers”

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Setting up the REU Process Project Planning

– October: Web site updated for next summer

– November: Contact partner institutions

– December: Widespread email distribution

– January: Research grant supplemental REU proposals

– March 1: Application deadline

– March 7: 1st round offers made

– March 21: 2nd round offers made

– April: Identify faculty/research projects

– May: Enroll students, finalize housing, projects, etc.

– Graduation plus 7-14 days: Start 10 week REU

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Setting up the REU Process Infrastructure elements

– Grad School enrolls participants for 1 hour class and handles tuition (automatic student access to infrastructure)

– microEP office handles paperwork, housing, and event support

– Faculty Director manages recruitment, selection, and daily operations processes (1 month salary)

– PI and co-PI drive selection of students, recruit faculty, drive faculty/student matching, and monitor summer research progress

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Setting up the REU Process Operational elements

– Base stipend of about $4.5k to match industry– Housing and travel allowance of $2.0k– $500 research support/student– Weekly research review meetings– Common start date, then three day orientation

and community building, for all REU/Carver participants

– Common housing of all participants in one dorm floor (mix room-mates between programs)

– All students treated as full site participants regardless of funding source

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Setting up the REU Process Extra elements

– All programs’ participants share three day opening schedule (Sunday check-in and dinner, Monday campus orientation, and Tuesday team building/creativity summer camp)

– Float trip on the Buffalo River if possible– Thursday evening events every week, hosting

passed between REU/Carver programs– Road trip to Dallas semiconductor industry at

week eight for UA microEP, UA Physics, and OU Physics REU participants (microEP hosted)

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Your Obligations as a Student Research

– 40 hour/week obligation (just to start)– Plan to act like a grad student (professional)– Expect to be treated like a professional

Community– Treat it as an experiment in trying out another

part of the country– Experience another learning environment– Represent yourself and your school well– Form lasting friendships– Have fun

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Common Start Date and Opening Night Dinner

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Research Community Creation: Summer Camp for REU Participants

Camp concepts by Dr. Ed Sobey (www.invention-center.com)

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Socialization Across REU Sites: Trips and Thursdays

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Professional Development:Dallas Semiconductor Industry

MEMC Southwest, Sherman Texas Instruments DLP, Dallas

Zyvex Corporation, Dallas

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The Summer Community 2007

University of ArkansasmicroEP Grad Program

So What are the Results?

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Setting up the REU Process Research

– Projects from ME, ChE, EE, Civil Eng, Physics, and Chemistry faculty

– Full spectrum from great to terrible projects and results, with average being better than “good”

Participation– Faculty and student participation ran full spectrum, with

average better than “good”

Recruitment– microEP recruitment strongly dependent on the

summer’s group identity

– Overall, better than 50% grad school attendance

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Summer U/G Research at the University of Arkansas NSF REU sponsored by microEP

(http://microEP.uark.edu, then the REU button) NSF REU sponsored by Physics

(http://www.uark.edu/depts/physics/reu05/) NSF REU sponsored by Chemistry

(http://chemistry.uark.edu/1197.htm) NSF REU sponsored by Mechanical Eng (contact

Dr. Joe Rencis at jjrencis@uark.edu) Internally funded Space and Planetary Sciences

(http://spacecenter.uark.edu/97.htm)

University of ArkansasmicroEP Grad Program

Questions?

http://microEP.uark.edu