2025 PROGRAM DATES:
Tuesday, June 3, 2025 thru Friday, August 8, 2025
NSF (National Science Foundation) funds a large number of research opportunities for undergraduate students through its REU Sites program. An REU Site consists of a group of ten or so undergraduates who work in the research programs of the host institution. Each student is associated with a specific research project, where he/she works closely with the faculty and other researchers. Students are granted stipends and, in many cases, assistance with housing and travel. Undergraduate students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions. An REU Site may be at either a US or foreign location.
By using the web page, Search for an REU Site, you may examine opportunities in the subject areas supported by various NSF units. Also, you may search by keywords to identify sites in particular research areas or with certain features, such as a particular location.
Students must contact the individual sites for information and application materials. NSF does not have application materials and does not select student participants. A contact person and contact information is listed for each site. (Ref. https://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/ )
The PARADIM Materials Discovery REU is a 10-week summer program is designed to provide an intensive, mentored research experience for undergraduates, especially those attending institutions with limited research opportunities.
The PARADIM Bulk Crystal Growth Facility is located at Johns Hopkins University. Together with the thin film growth facilities at Cornell, it provides unprecedented capabilities for discovery of new materials and interfaces.
The PARADIM Bulk Crystal Growth Facility is the only facility within the United States where all major optical FZ techniques are available at a single site. In addition, it is the first location in the world to have optical floating zone capability at 300 atm. It is developing the ability to carry out laser pedestal crystal growth in fluids up to 1000 atm of pressure, as well as developing enhanced in situ imaging capabilities (e.g. hyperspectral imaging) to aid and understand growth.
Program 2025 information:
JHU PARADIM REU participants are integrated with highly aligned REU programs at JHU Homewood Campus where they participate in additional scientific enhancement opportunities including a professional development lecture series, social outings in Baltimore and Washington DC, and the Hopkins REU poster symposium with a diverse scientific cohort. For 2025, JHU PARADIM REU interns receive a $7000 stipend, housing, up to $600 for travel expenses, and sustenance expenses.
Every registered student must be vaccinated and upload proof of vaccination.
Individuals with interest in computation, programming, and materials are especially encouraged to apply.
Four summer 2025 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) positions are available at the Platform for the Accelerated Realization, Analysis, and Discovery of Interface Materials (PARADIM) facility located on the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Homewood campus in Baltimore, Maryland.
PARADIM will offer 14 REU positions in 2025. (10 at Cornell, 4 at Johns Hopkins)
REU projects descriptions (2016-2024)
REU participants (2016-2024)
2025 REU research project descriptions
2025 PROGRAM DATES:
Tuesday, June 3, 2025 thru Friday, August 8, 2025
Projects for Summer 2025:
Project 1: Advancing Materials Synthesis in a National User Facility
The successful applicant will utilize the world-unique floating zone and data capabilities of PARADIM to carry out discoveries of materials relevant to applicable quantum materials (e.g., catalysts, topological Kondo insulators) research.
Project 2: Building the Materials Data Infrastructure
The successful applicant will further the design and implementation of a materials data infrastructure, to enable seamless collection and use of data from a range of experimental and theoretical techniques in materials synthesis to make data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).
Project 3: Machine Learning in Materials Discovery
The successful applicant will apply state of the art machine learning techniques to PARADIM data and metadata, to define and realize scientific use cases of these new techniques in materials discovery.
The PARADIM Materials Discovery REU program is open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. To be eligible, applicants must be enrolled at a two- or four-year college or university. We especially encourage rising sophomores, students at community colleges or other institutions that have limited research opportunities, and “non-traditional” students (e.g., first-generation college attendees, veterans, older students) to apply.
APPLICATION
2025 PARADIM REU APPLICATION DEADLINES
ONLINE APPLICATION DEADLINE:
Friday, February 2, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Pacific, 8:00 p.m. Eastern)
ONLINE RECOMMENDATION DEADLINE:
Friday, February 9, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Pacific, 8:00 p.m. Eastern)
ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS DEADLINE:
Friday, February 23, 2025 (5:00 p.m. Eastern)
AWARD PROCESS BEGINS:
Monday, March 10, 2025 (via Email)
FINAL DECISION:
Wednesday, April 4, 2025
Questions? Contact: James Overhiser, PARADIM Education and Outreach Director [email] jlo34@cornell.edu
National Science Foundation (REU Site: Summer Research Program at PARADIM) under Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-2150446
