REU Site: Astronomy and Astrophysics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison

This program is a renewal for the REU site at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a program that has been active for more than two decades. This program aims to provide foundational, hands-on research experiences to undergraduates from across the nation who otherwise would have no access to research opportunities at their home institutions. By working together with experienced research mentors at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, undergraduate students will gain hands-on expertise at the forefront of science, giving them the tools to reach their full potential in their careers. Furthermore, a close and personal collaboration between students and experts will yield new scientific discoveries. The training offered by this program will have a positive, long-lasting impact on the future professional trajectories of undergraduate students. This Research Experience for Undergraduates program will build upon the more than two decades of expertise at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to provide a 10-week long hands-on research training and experience to eight students each summer. Research topics are centered around current open questions in astrophysics, with particular emphasis on studies of planets around other stars as well as multi-messenger astrophysics, to address some of humanity’s eternal questions: How did the Universe evolve, and what are the origins of life in the Universe. The program includes a lecture series in astrophysics, training in research methods communication, and computing techniques to prepare students for the ongoing data revolution using techniques such as machine learning and A.I. Additional career preparation is provided through professional development seminars, field trips to nearby national research centers, as well as opportunities to engage in public outreach to disseminate new scientific insights with society. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.