End of REU Update: Share Your Experience

[G01]

So, now that many REU's are nearing the end of their 10 week run, how was everyone's time? Did you enjoy the work? Would you do it again?

I think a thread like this could help those thinking about applying for these programs in the future.

Personally, I had a great time. Things got off to a rocky start at first, but in the end I was enjoying every minute off it. Sure the days gets tough when nothing seems to work correctly and every minute involves trouble shooting, but isn't that what research is about sometimes?

I got to do a lot of data acquisition and image processing. It involved a lot of device interfacing and I had never done any programming like this before. So, I also came out with some skills I didn't have before, which was good. I enjoyed the experience overall, and definitely plan on doing it again next year as well, and maybe I will try to do some research during the semester as well.

So, anybody else? What did those of you who did REU's this summer think?

 

[cristo]

Good to hear you enjoyed yourself G01. We don't have REU's over here (or at least not in maths that I heard of during my undergrad days) but it sure sounds a good experience-- and a good way to get students interested in undertaking research careers after they graduate!

What field was your research in?

 

[Cyrus]

Great job, programming like that is very important to know, as I am doing some of that right now in Matlab (But not for an REU)

 

[alex caps]

My program was a lot of fun. I have my final presentation to give next Thursday and then I am out. Wish it weren't ending so soon though.

My work was suprisingly succesful. This is not my first research experience, so it helped having some back ground. Right now I am in the process of planning out/writing a paper we plan to submit to Science for our nano/bio/self-assembly/etc work. Hopefully this works out!

 

[G01]

Good to hear you enjoyed yourself G01. We don't have REU's over here (or at least not in maths that I heard of during my undergrad days) but it sure sounds a good experience-- and a good way to get students interested in undertaking research careers after they graduate!

What field was your research in?

I worked in solid state physics with quantum dots. It was a pretty good time! They are interesting little things, though not as tasty as the candy Dots.

Cyrus, I didn't use much Matlab, though I do know a little. I did use a lot of LabVIEW though. It's weird programming with pictures but you get used to it quick.

 

[Brad Barker]

my program at UF was really laid back. it's where i go to school, so i didn't have to adjust to anything. my advisor didn't demand a whole lot from me.

 

[Cyrus]

I worked in solid state physics with quantum dots. It was a pretty good time! They are interesting little things, though not as tasty as the candy Dots.

Cyrus, I didn't use much Matlab, though I do know a little. I did use a lot of LabVIEW though. It's weird programming with pictures but you get used to it quick.

Labview is a good thing to know too. We used it in electronics class. Its a fast and dirty way to make nice GUI's.

 

[G01]

Labview is a good thing to know too. We used it in electronics class. Its a fast and dirty way to make nice GUI's.

The only problem with it is that once you start building a decent sized program, you end up with wires going EVERYWHERE. The more subVI's you use the less of a problem this is though...

LabVIEW also makes device interfacing much easier. At least I think so, anyway.