Spending a Year Abroad in USA/Canada for Research & CMT

[Silicon-Based]

I'm a student in a UK university and have the option of spending my 3rd year abroad in the USA or Canada. My primary motivation for doing so is the ability to do research during the academic year (which is impossible to do in the UK), which would make me more competitive when applying to graduate school, whether in the USA or elsewhere. I'm interested in condensed matter and to some extent in AMO, and more towards the theoretical side of things.

These are the American universities I may attend: all UCs, UIUC, UMD, Rutgers, Stony Brook, UMass Amherst, and NC State.

The best outcome would seem to be UC Berkeley but I'm very unlikely to gain acceptence there, and the area is also very expensive. My favourite right now would probably be UIUC. It's supposed to have the best condensed matter department in the country, and it's one of the most affordable options. However, UMD is also pretty strong, especially in AMO with their Joint Quantum Institute. UCSB also appears to be a good option.

In the end, the prestige of the university probably matters less than having done research. For that reason, how difficult would getting involved in research be in each of those univeristies?

On that note, how is the situation with undergraduate research in CMT? I've seem many experimental groups listing their undergarduate researchers on their websites, but rarely did I see the same with theory groups. If I intend to do a PhD in CMT it would be great if I could do some relevant research. If this would help, I will be doing some graduate courses, probably in electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, or statistical mechanics in order to cover the UK equivalent material for the year.

Thank you in advance.

 

[ZapperZ]

If I were you, I would not be picky in the least bit in getting any kind of research work in condensed matter. Regardless of whether you wish to do theory or experiment, know that ANY kind of research work will be of value to you. A theorist who actually have done experimental work is a strong point, not a weak point.

UIUC has always been one of the best and leading department in condensed matter. And for a state school that is also more affordable than most private institutions, that is highly unusual. It also has a lot of research funding and attracts a high percentage of international students. So I highly recommend it.

Zz.