Our Program

After building up gradually over the past five Summers, this year our program sent twelve students to seven international laboratories doing gravitational wave research in five different countries.  Their mandate was to work on a specified research project while fostering international contact; part of their mandate included getting a broader view of the world and becoming acquainted with a foreign culture.  Inevitably, there are opportunities for personal growth and development which are not to be missed.  Our students achieved high scores in every aspect of their mission.  Now, we are already looking for hosts, projects and students for next year.  All destination sites carry out research in gravitational wave physics.  Projects generally focus on some aspect of gravitational wave detection through instrumentation, data analysis and futuristic vision.  Our preferred pool of students includes under-represented minorities from small schools with where research and contact is limited.  It does help, though if students have already worked in some lab somewhere, and have a mentor who could comment on their research and academic abilities.

Destinations and Students

Germany

Italy

Italy

Italy

Japan

Scotland

Wales

Images from a Summer well spent

Scientific aspects

Sightseeing opportunities

Travel opportunities

Cultural sites

Meeting other students

Personal enrichment

Reflections

Within the field of gravitational physics, this is a diverse program.  We added several new sites and one new area this year.  Sometimes adjustments were necessary:  mentors, accommodation, conditions, projects.  We try to act quickly when a need arises.  Regardless, there seems to be unanimous agreement that a good time was had by all.  We have been especially pleased with the quality of work accomplished by students, their level of engagement in their respective projects, and their ability to quickly assimilate and understand the intricacies of their respective projects.