Research experience for undergraduates (REU) programs usually advertise a central theme to unify the content of the program and serve as a niche to attract students to their university and department for a summer.  However, the choice of theme can be problematic for programs that try to include faculty from disparate areas or that aren't truly committed to central core values and goals.  The Ole Miss Physical Chemistry Summer Research Program has been very successful and has grown for the last seven years because of its commitment to core activities centered about the physical sciences and led by its senior leaders.  In this presentation, the collaborative research, educational, and social activities and elements of the Ole Miss program will be outlined and how they work together to create a cohesive and successful program.  Best practices that have been developed for recruitment, selection, assessment, and coordination with university personnel will also be discussed.

Importance of a truly cohesive theme in a research experience for undergraduates (REU) program

251st National Meeting (2016)

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