1. REU Site: Penn State Research Experience for Undergraduates and Teachers Program in Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Materials Research Moses H.W. Chan, Penn State University, DMR 0648837 In 2007, the Penn State Department of Physics and Penn State MRSEC hosted nineteen undergraduate students from across the nation. Eleven Penn State physics majors (funded by a local endowment) served as ‘hosts’. The thirty students worked in the laboratory, were mentoring by top materials researchers, attended weekly seminars, and attended developmental workshops. In addition, seven teachers participated in all aspects of the program and will transfer material science knowledge to their classroom using lesson plans developed with their peers and Penn State faculty.

2. REU Site: Penn State Research Experience for Undergraduates and Teachers Program in Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Materials Research Moses H.W. Chan, Penn State University, DMR 0648837 A diverse group of students (19 total with 13 minority and 12 female) and teachers (7 total with 3 minority and 4 female), experienced condensed matter and interdisciplinary materials research. The students, including 14 students from academic institutions with limited research opportunities, gained a better understanding of science, were provided professional development and gained valuable laboratory experience which will influence their careers. The teachers will transfer their experiences to their classroom, influencing their students and surrounding communities. Dr. Ronald D. Redwing, 2007 Program Coordinator, poses with participants from Puerto Rico.

3. REU Site: Penn State Research Experience for Undergraduates and Teachers Program in Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Materials Research Moses H.W. Chan, Penn State University, DMR 0648837 Lock Haven University physics major Angela Kramer worked with Penn State Materials Science and Engineering professor Elizabeth C. Dickey and NSF Graduate Fellow Jennifer Sloppy on the deposition and characterization of bcc tantalum pillars and holes on silicon as part of the Penn State REU 2007 program. A large market of capacitors is based on the anodization of thin Ta 2 O 5 layers on Ta particles. The miniaturization of these capacitors for the electronics industry continually demands smaller particle sizes, which in turn will have higher curvature. Angela developed deposition and lithography techniques to pattern large arrays of Ta posts and holes of controlled curvature. These samples will be used as model materials to study curvature effects on capacitor formation and performance within the Penn State NSF I/UCRC Center for Dielectric Studies.

4. REU Site: Penn State Research Experience for Undergraduates and Teachers Program in Condensed Matter Physics and Interdisciplinary Materials Research Moses H.W. Chan, Penn State University, DMR 0648837 In the summer of 2007, Hollidaysburg Area High School physics teacher Paul Longwell worked with Dr. Richard Bell from the Department of Chemistry at Penn State University-Altoona on the “Magnetorheology of Submicron Diameter Microwires in Ethanol.” Paul researched the effect on flow of suspensions in applied magnetic fields when the suspensions were changed from containing exclusively rod-shaped particles to suspensions containing both rod-shaped and spherical particles. The financial support of a Penn State MRSEC Education and Outreach minigrant will enable Paul to present a hands-on unit on ferrofluids to his students. Nanospheres and nanowires aligned in a magnetic field. Paul applies gallium indium to a porous membrane (l) and adds colbalt electrodeposition solution (r) in preparation for the growth of nanowires. Paul building a Lego® scanning probe during our ‘Mechanics of Materials’ teacher workshop.