Ken Vickers – Director Research Professor, Physics (1998 – present)

1. University of ArkansasMicroelectronics-Photonics (microEP) Graduate ProgramThe microEP-hosted NSF REU Program After Five Years Ken Vickers – Director Research Professor, Physics (1998 – present) Eng Management, Texas Instruments (1980 – 1998) 479 575-2875 vickers@uark.edu http://microEP.uark.edu ASEE Midwest Section Meeting September 16, 2005 Fayetteville, Arkansas

2. Overall Goals of a REU Program • 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 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

3. Understanding the Host Organization: The microEP Mission • The educational objective of the microEP program is to produce graduates that create and commercialize electronic and photonic materials, devices, and systems. • This will be accomplished through rigorous interdisciplinary science/engineering graduate education; supplemented with soft skills, management, and entrepreneurial training. ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

4. Microelectronics-Photonics Graduate Program microEP Student Group September 2003 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

5. NSF REU Sites - High Cost (but Effective) Recruiting • 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 • Expanded focus by 2004 to include coordination of all undergrad research programs on campus to create a “community of summer researchers” ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

6. University of ArkansasmicroEP REU Program Use Existing Resources and Create Meaningful Partnerships…

7. 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 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

8. 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 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

9. Setting up the REU Process • Operational elements • Moving to base salary ($3k) plus performance bonus ($1.5k) from flat salary ($4.5k) • 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 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

10. 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) ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

11. George Washington Carver Project • Originated in 1996 as a UA funded REU style partnership • Southern University at Baton Rouge, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Alcorn State University, Tougaloo College, Jackson State University, Xavier University • 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 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

12. Common Start Date and Opening Night Dinner ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

13. Research Community Creation: Summer Camp for REU Participants Camp concepts by Dr. Ed Sobey (www.invention-center.com) ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

14. Socialization Across REU Sites: Trips and Thursdays ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

15. Zyvex Corporation, Dallas MEMC Southwest, Sherman Texas Instruments DLP, Dallas Professional Development:Dallas Semiconductor Industry ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

16. The Summer Community 2004 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

17. The Summer Community 2005 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

18. University of ArkansasmicroEP Grad ProgramSo What are the Results?

19. 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 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

20. microEP REU 2001 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

21. microEP REU 2002 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

22. microEP REU 2003 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

23. microEP REU 2004 and 2005 ASEE Midwest Meeting - Fayetteville, AR

24. University of ArkansasmicroEP Grad ProgramQuestions?http://microEP.uark.edu