College of Computer, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences

3400 A.V. Williams Building
301-405-2677
http://www.cmps.umd.edu/

College-wide Opportunities

CMPS Undergraduate Research Experiences

The College of Computer, Math, and Physical Sciences maintains a webpage with links to departmental research opportunities along with valuable tips for finding research projects.

Departmental Opportunities
Astronomy Honors Program
(301) 405-3001

The Astronomy Honors Program offers students of exceptional ability and interest in astronomy opportunities for research participation. Honors students work with a faculty advisor on a research project for academic credit. Honors candidates submit a written report on their research projects, which together with an oral comprehensive examination in the senior year, concludes the program.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
This program provides the opportunity for undergraduates to collaborate with a faculty member and his or her research group in the area of atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Participants may help write a scientific paper, or even write one entirely on their own; they may also be given an opportunity to present such a paper at a professional conference. Undergraduate majors in the physical sciences should consult www.atmos.umd.edu/research. The following general topics are available for undergrad research: Atmospheric Chemistry and Air Pollution, Climate Diagnostics, Earth System Science, Numerical Weather Prediction and Atmospheric Dynamics, Physical Oceanography and Air/Sea interaction, and Remote Sensing.

Computer Science Honors Program
In addition to meeting departmental requirements, participants in the Computer Science Honors Program complete a research project which moves beyond the material covered in undergraduate courses. Students submit a 5-10 page report describing their research problems, past work in the area, and the algorithms used.

Geology Senior Thesis
Philip Candela
2112 Geology Building
candela@geol.umd.edu / (301) 405-2783
This is a two semester linked program (either Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall semesters). The program requires a paper near the end of each semester, two department-wide presentations each semester, and the time (and effort) of actually doing original scientific research.

Department of Mathematics: VIGRE
Dr. William Goldman
3106 Mathematics Building
wmg@math.umd.edu / (301) 405-5124

Anita Dahms
1304 Mathematics Building
anita@math.umd.edu / (301) 405-5064

Undergraduates experience higher mathematics early through various parts of the VIGRE project: Undergraduate Grants provide some financial support to undergraduates participating in Research Interaction Teams, which give undergraduates the opportunity to work with graduate students, postdocs, and faculty in active research areas. Undergraduate Research Opportunities Day (UGRO Day) showcases the RITs and other opportunities for research experiences. The Experimental Geometry Lab, gives students the opportunity to explore geometric structures using state-of-the-art visualization tools.

Mathematics Departmental Honors Program
Larry Washington
4415 Mathematics Building
lcw@math.umd.edu / (301) 405-5116

Students participating in the Mathematics Departmental Honors Program may opt to complete a research thesis.

MATH Spiral Program
Brian Hunt, Program Director
4101 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
bhunt@math.umd.edu / (301) 405-4885

The Math SPIRAL summer program in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Maryland in College Park is a multi-year program funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Security Agency (NSA). Working with a group of affiliated minority serving colleges and universities, SPIRAL brings college sophomores and juniors to the College Park campus for a six-week intensive program to prepare them for graduate study in the mathematical sciences. Math SPIRAL has three core components: academics, research and professional development.

Software Engineering @ Maryland
James Purtilo
4437 A.V. Williams Building
purtilo@cs.umd.edu / (301) 405-2706
The University of Maryland SEAM program trains software engineers by integrating their traditional classroom opportunities with live project experiences in an industrial setting provided by SEAM partners.

Undergraduate Research Opportunities in Physics
This link contains a listing of physics professors and information about possible undergraduate research opportunities they may offer. This list is not exhaustive; please contact physics professors not listed to discuss their field of research an possible opportunities for undergraduates.

Additional Research Opportunities

Additional Astronomy Research Areas
Doug Hamilton
1245 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
hamilton@astro.umd.edu / (301) 405-1548

Students with PERL and/or java programming experience are needed for the "Astronomy Workshop" project (the development of web based tools to facilitate undergraduate astronomy education.

Center for Scientific Computation and Mathematical Modeling (CSCAMM)
The primary goal of CSCAMM is to foster research activity that highlights the interplay between novel computational algorithms and mathematical modeling, as complementary avenues to theory and experiment. CSCAMM Members maintain a list of undergraduate research opportunities.

Center for Nanophysics and Advanced Materials
Department of Physics
(301) 405-6129

Center for Nanophysics and Advanced Materials at the University of Maryland began as an interdisciplinary center devoted to fundamental and applied research on superconductivity. Since then the center has evolved into an interdisciplinary research center that could more appropriately be called a "Center for Superconductivity, Novel Materials and Nanoelectronics". CSR's research impacts technology that is important for commercial and defense related applications, such as communications, digital and analog electronics, sensors, and computers. A significant number of undergraduate students participate in research projects.

Center for Theory and Computation
Cole Miller
1239 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
miller@astro.umd.edu / (301) 405-1037

The Maryland Astronomy Center for Theory and Computation promotes excellence and innovation in theoretical astrophysics. Besides pursuing cutting-edge research in astrophysics, there is an emphasis on developing state-of-the-art computational tools.

The Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center
Antonio Busalacchi
2213 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
ajb@essic.umd.edu / 301.405.5599

The Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC)is a joint center between the University of Maryland Departments of Meteorology, Geology, Geography, and the Earth Sciences Directorate at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center. ESSIC also administers the Cooperative Institute for Climate Studies (CICS), which is joint with the NOAA National Satellite, Data, and Information Services (NESDIS) and the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). The goal of ESSIC is to enhance our understanding of how the atmosphere, ocean, land, and biosphere components of the Earth interact as a coupled system and the influence of human activities on this system. The major research thrusts of the center are studies of Climate Variability and Change, Atmospheric Composition and Processes, the Global Carbon Cycle (including Terrestrial and Marine Ecosystems/Land Use/Cover Change), and the Global Water Cycle. ESSIC encourages undergraduate students from our partner departments to pursue research opportunities through our faculty, research scientists, and Federal partners, as well as other university and government agencies.

Electron Probe Microanalyzer Laboratory
Philip Piccoli
3108 Geology Building
piccoli@geol.umd.edu / (301) 405-6966

This laboratory has equipment that is used for the chemical and spatial characterization of minerals and glasses in rocks. This equipment often serves as the primary analytical tool in many high-school, undergraduate and graduate research projects.

Extragalactic Astronomy Group
Stacy McGaugh
1251 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
sssm@astro.umd.edu / (301) 405-7897

The Maryland Extragalactic Observational Group utilizes optical, radio, and X-ray astronomy in an attempt to understand the origin, dynamics, and evolution of galaxies. Areas of faculty interest include Seyfert galaxies, low surface brightness galaxies, galaxy formation, black hole driven activity in galaxies, and starbursts in galaxies.

Institute for Physical Sciences and Technology (IPST
The Institute for Physical Science and Technology's primary focus is research in interdisciplinary areas that fall outside the boundaries of traditional academic departments. IPST offers a variety of research projects that welcome undergradute participation. Interested students are encouraged to make direct contact with sponsoring faculty.

Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory
Richard Walker
0228 Chemistry Building
rjwalker@umd.edu / (301) 405-4089

There are a variety of opportunities for undergraduate geology students to participate in research with members of the Isotope Geochemistry Laboratory . These include the possibility of work on samples from Earth's mantle and crust, and extraterrestrial materials.

Laboratory for Crustal Petrology
Michael Brown
2249 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
mbrown@geol.umd.edu / (301) 405-4080

There are a variety of opportunities for undergraduate geology students to participate in research with members of the LCP. These include the possibility of fieldwork and potential GEOL 393/394 projects.

Laboratory for Mineral Physics
Andrew Campbell
2207 Geology Building
ajc@geol.umd.edu / (301) 405-4082

Research opportunities exist for geology undergraduates, and others with a background in the physical sciences or engineering, to participate in experimental studies of the chemistry and physics of Earth-forming materials.

Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research
Philip Candela
2112 Geology Building
candela@geol.umd.edu / (301) 405-2783

Philip Piccoli
3108 Geology Building
piccoli@geol.umd.edu / (301) 405-6966

The Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research has a long and active history of allowing undergraduates and high school students to perform research alongside our research group.

Plasma Mass Spectrometry Laboratory
Bill McDonough
0229 Chemistry Building
mcdonough@geo.umd.edu / (301) 405-5561

Geology undergraduates and others with background in chemistry and/or physics are invited to participate in research with members of the Plasma Lab. Research opportunities include hands on experience in chemical and/or isotopic analyses and data processing.

Lab for Millimeter Wave Astronomy
Stuart Vogel
vogel@astro.umd.edu / (301) 405-2134

The Maryland Lab for Millimeter Wave Astronomy studies the interstellar medium and star forming regions. The University of Maryland shares facilities in Hat Creek, California with the University of Illinois and the University of California at Berkeley. Millimeter wave astronomy provides information on the distribution of molecules in our Milky Way galaxy and in other galaxies.

Planetary Astronomy Group
Lucy McFadden
2337C Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
mcfadden@umd.edu / (301) 405-2081

Doug Hamilton
1245 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
hamilton@astro.umd.edu / (301) 405-1548

The Maryland Planetary Group seeks to understand the origin and evolution of the Solar System. Current projects include Deep Impact (a NASA Discovery mission to Comet Tempel 1), the Small Bodies Node of the Planetary Data Systems (an archive of solar system data), and dynamic modeling using cutting-edge parallel processing technology.

Space and Plasma Physics Group
Surja Sharma
3451 A.V. Williams Building
ssh@astro.umd.edu / (301) 405-1528

The Maryland Plasma Physics Group studies plasmas in space and in the laboratory. Interests include solar-terrestrial effects, high altitude lightning, magnetospheres and ionospheres of other planets and comets, solar radio bursts, and shocks in supernovae.

Stable Isotope Laboratory
James Farquar
2331 Computer and Space Sciences Bldg
jfarqua@umd.edu / (301) 405-1116

Alan Jay Kaufman
0226 Geology Building
akaufman@geo.umd.edu / (301) 405-0395

For information about undergraduate research opportunities and internships, please contact James Farquhar or Alan Jay Kaufman.

Training and Research Experiences in Nonlinear Dynamics (TREND)
Wes Lawson
1321 A.V. Williams Building
lawson@eng.umd.edu / (301) 405-4972

The University of Maryland's Institute for Research in Electronics and Applied Physics, with support from the National Science Foundation and the Department of Defense, offers research opportunities for undergraduate students in the broad area of nonlinear dynamics. Students from a variety of universities and backgrounds typically work in teams of two or three for 11 weeks during the summer and are supervised jointly by faculty members and graduate students. Research projects will be theoretical, experimental, or both. Examples of research topics are: theoretical studies of chaos in time and space, experimental studies of patterns in granular media, the development of singularities in fluids and solids, nonlinear dynamics in optical systems, nonlinear dynamics in charged particle beams and devices, and turbulence and nonlinear phenomena in plasmas.