Welcome to the Center for Advanced Energy Studies REU Site on Advanced Manufacturing for a Sustainable Energy Future! CAES has established a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site with an intellectual focus on Advanced Manufacturing for a Sustainable Energy Future (AMSEF).
Applications for the 2024 REU Program are now closed.
About the Program
This 10-week program enables 10 undergraduate students from Idaho’s 2-year and 4-year institutions, and universities from across the nation, to work alongside faculty from Boise State University, Idaho State University and the University of Idaho at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies headquarters located near the Idaho National Laboratory Research Campus in Idaho Falls. Students will work on projects related to advanced manufacturing in collaboration with university faculty and scientists from Idaho National Laboratory (INL). The selected research projects will leverage new capabilities in the CAES facility, including a state-of-the-art transmission electron microscope and a suite of instruments for advanced manufacturing of sensors and instrumentation for extreme environments.
During the summer research experience, students will network with and learn from Idaho National Laboratory scientists, have opportunities to share their work with an active research community and co-author publications and presentations based on their research findings.
Program Research Projects
This REU site incorporates a multidisciplinary approach to address contemporary and emerging technological challenges in advanced manufacturing. As part of the research experience, students will integrate innovative technologies and materials into manufacturing processes to improve energy efficiency and product designs.
Summer 2024 Research Projects
Program Dates
- The program will begin June 3 and end on August 9, 2024.
- Applications will be accepted starting December 21, 2023.
- The application deadline is March 4, 2024.
Stipends and Housing
Students selected to participate in the REU will receive a $600 stipend per week. Housing and a meal per diem will also be provided. Travel allowances are also available to participants.
Program Eligibility
In order to participate (and receive payments/reimbursements), students must meet the following requirements:
- Students must be either a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or Permanent Resident of the U.S.
- Must be an undergraduate student enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree
- Have a Cumulative GPA of 2.8 or greater on a 4.0 scale
Statement on Underrepresented Groups
The REU projects described here offer an opportunity to tap the nation’s diverse student talent pool and broaden participation in science and engineering. Toward that end, we particularly encourage women, persons with disabilities, veterans, and students from groups traditionally underrepresented in science and engineering (including African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders and Southwest Asian or North African) to apply.
How to Apply
Complete the Online Application
The online application requests the following information (you might assemble it prior to starting the application form):
- Contact information
- Academic information including colleges or universities attended, major, year in school, expected graduation date
- An electronic copy of college transcripts (unofficial is suitable) that includes course grades and current classes for which you are registered
- Education and career plans
- Demographic and background information, including citizenship status, race/ethnicity, military experience, and parent/guardian education information
- Please submit a personal statement. This should be no more than 500 words, and can focus on your goals, achievements, interests, and reason for applying
Request Two Letters of Reference
Applicants need to contact their referees to request letters. Referees must submit their letters by the priority consideration deadline of March 4, 2024. Remember to follow up with your referees to ensure that their letters have been submitted.
- Request two letters of recommendation from instructors, professors, or academic staff with direct knowledge of your academic background
- At least one of the referees must be able to comment on your potential for independent research. Both should comment on your laboratory skills, your interest in science, motivation, and work ethic
- Request that the referees submit their letters online on the REU Reference Letters webpage
- Request that the letters be submitted by March 4, 2024
Questions?
Please contact us at caes@boisestate.edu, or leave a voice mail at (208) 426-6164.
Cohort Experience
During the summer research experience, students will network with and learn from university faculty and national laboratory researchers, have opportunities to share their work with an active research community and co-author publications and presentations based on their research findings. Students will gain a variety of technical and professional skills provided through the summer research experience. Professional development activities will emphasize the importance of communication skills in science and engineering, such as the preparation of scientific figures and presenting results in oral and written formats.
Our REU students will participate as a cohort in professional development activities offered through CAES. Weekly events include topics such as resume writing and interviewing, business etiquette and crucial conversations, and a strengths finder assessment. To assist participants in building their STEM identity, CAES will also host a National and Homeland Security, a Nuclear Science and Technology, and an Energy and Environment career panel, as well as tours of INL reactor facilities where participants can network with INL research staff and other STEM professionals. Further, students are expected to attend the monthly CAES Codebreaker Seminar Series to learn about research ongoing within the CAES research community.
The training will help students advance their careers through improved skills and valuable experience for their resumes/curriculum vitae. The developed skills will benefit graduate school and employment applications and attract more talented undergraduates to careers in the advanced manufacturing and energy fields. Social activities leveraging access to nearby National Parks and Monuments will also be organized.
About CAES, INL and Idaho Falls
About CAES
The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) is a consortium consisting of the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the three public research universities in Idaho: Boise State University, Idaho State University and University of Idaho. CAES is conducting transformative energy research, educating the next generation of scientists and engineers, and partnering with industry to advance the nation’s global economic competitiveness. Our vision is the creation of a better energy future through collaboration that inspires energy leadership, ignites technology innovation, and catalyzes global impact.
Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
INL is the nation’s laboratory for nuclear energy research and development. INL works in each of the strategic goal areas of DOE: energy, national security, science and environment.
The Center for Advanced Energy Studies (CAES) is a research and education partnership between Boise State University, Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho State University, University of Idaho, and University of Wyoming.
Idaho Falls
Idaho Falls is a city in and the county seat of Bonneville County, Idaho, United States. It is the state’s largest city outside the Boise metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population of Idaho Falls was 56,813 (2019 estimate: 62,888), with a metro population of 133,265.
Idaho Falls serves as the commercial, cultural, and healthcare hub for Eastern Idaho, as well as parts of western Wyoming and southern Montana. It is served by the Idaho Falls Regional Airport and is home to the College of Eastern Idaho, Museum of Idaho, and the Idaho Falls Chukars minor league baseball team. It is the principal city of the Idaho Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Idaho Falls–Blackfoot-Rexburg, Idaho Combined Statistical Area.
Check out local attractions and activities here:
Schedule
The official schedule will be announced Spring 2024.