So I started my REU a couple days ago

[leright]

So I started my REU a couple days ago...

I will be working on growing Aluminum Nitride wide bandgap semiconductors by molecular beam epitaxy. I am not sure what my specific project will be yet sicne I just started. My advisor has had me read a textbook on MBE technology, and he had me read up on the UHV technology. He has some other books lined up for me to read as well.

I don't think I will get a real project for a few weeks (this REU will be a one year thing...I will work part time this spring, full time in the summer, and part time in the fall). During the first few weeks I think I will be just studying and helping out with miscellaneous tasks that my professors needs help with. Is this typical or an REU? I came in expecting to get assigned a project right away. I certainly hope I get assigned a project eventually because I would like to eventually publish. I also want to apply my REU experience toward my senior project.

The professor that runs the lab is in India for 3 weeks. When he comes back I will go talk to him about funding for a project. This is what my advisor told me to do.

Also, my advisor has a very strong Russian accent so he can be difficult to understand sometimes. I fear this will be a serious hurdle...He is a nice guy though, and has been quite helpful thus far.

 

[leright]

I guess my question is, what is the typical REU like? Am I getting the same experience as most REUs? I have only been in the REU for a very short period of time, but from what other students have told me, their REU experiences were very intense and they were given a project from the get go. I feel like I am perhaps being babied. However, this could be just due to the fact that I am part time right now (only around 10 hours per week) and my REU time period is around a year.

 

[Bitter]

Just some simple input. Most of the REU I'm aware of are only for ten weeks and usually have a two week crash course into the subject they are researching, so that the students may be better prepared. I would not worry about being behind others in your REU, in fact, since it is for a year, I would consider you to be ahead.