REU/RET Summer Program ’23 Concludes with Packed Poster Session
Last Thursday (8/10), the 2023 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) summer programs came to a successful close with the annual poster session, in which each REU––ranging from rising sophomore to rising senior students–– and RET was able to display and demonstrate their last few months worth of research and achievement. With over 40 posters displayed in the Photonics Center 9th floor atrium, some topics included polymeric materials, soft rigid hybrid robot simulations, “Faster Imaging via Spatio-Temporal Transformations,” “Enhancing Biosensor Sensitivity Using Magnetic Nanoparticles,” a “Soft Robotic Platform for Beating Heart Procedures,” and more. The “Making Heart Tissue Dance,” presented by Maxwell Barrueta, even included a physical test model!
The Boston University community came out in stride to support these future leaders in STEM, with over 100 faculty, staff, and students walking throughout the 9th floor to check out the progress the REUs and RETs made this summer. Professors Will Boley, Jerome Mertz, Siddharth Ramachandran, Tom Bifano, Keith Brown, and Masha Kamenetska, were just some of the faculty to inquire about the REU and RETs’ research. Several BICsters were also seen among the crowd, admiring the researchers’ work and experiences.
The Photonics Center managed Summer Programs include the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site and NSF Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) Site in Integrated Nanomanufacturing, REU and RET placements from the NSF ERC in Cellular Metamaterials, and the BU-funded Photonics and Materials Science programs. In total, the Photonics Center hosted 16 REU students and nine high school and community college science teachers this past summer.
For some of students, and most teachers, this program serves as their first laboratory research experience. The students and teachers are mentored in their labs as they conduct research that directly supports the goals of their labs while also engaging in professional development activities throughout summer. In total, the two groups spend a lot of time learning collaboratively, forming strong bonds not only with those in their labs, but with each other.
After this experience, explained Associate Director of Summer Programs & Outreach Brenda Hugot, the teachers are well-prepared to present topics in engineering to their students. They understand firsthand the process of engineering design and will be able to share their new skills and knowledge with their students. As for the REUs, she had this to say: “All the REUs plan to continue in science and engineering, and most are now considering graduate school as they map their possible careers. They are a great group of students and we are sad to see them go — but it will be exciting to follow their careers and see where everyone goes from here!”