Research
Students are encouraged to get involved with research early on in their college careers, both at Bryn Mawr during the semester and during the summer, either on campus or through the myriad REU programs.
During the semester, students can participate in supervised research by taking 0.5 credit or 1 credit Phys 403 Supervised Research with physics faculty or volunteer in a research group directed by physics faculty.
Research Opportunities
Nanomaterials and Spintronics Laboratory
Led by Dr. Xuemei May Cheng
The Nanomaterials and Spintronics Laboratory is well-resourced with support from the College and multiple grants of over $1.5M from the National Science Foundation (NSF), including an NSF CAREER award and an NSF MRI grant. The facilities enable the fabrication, characterization, and modeling of nanostructured materials...
Ultracold Rydberg Atoms
Let by Dr. Michael Noel
Current research focuses on an experimental study of ultracold samples of highly excited atoms. The impact of these experiments is quite broad, with connections to condensed matter physics of spin glasses and crystals; low temperature atomic, molecular, and optical physics involving many body interactions; and low temperature plasma physics...
Bryn Mawr Plasma Laboratory
Led by Dr. David Schaffner
The Bryn Mawr Plasma Laboratory is an intersection of the study of plasma physics, turbulence, and fusion energy. The Bryn Mawr Experiment (BMX) is the flagship experiment of the lab, featuring a plasma-gun generated turbulent plasma launched into a flux-conserving cylindrical chamber. With long current discharge pulses...
Biophysics and Pattern Formation
Led by Dr. Asja Radja
Asja’s research elucidates the “rules of living patterns” that lead to a variety of shapes and add to our understanding of how life builds itself. Life is organized at many length scales ranging from the molecular to the macro, and there is an incredible amount of complexity in the morphologies at these various levels of organization...
Edible String theory
Let by Dr. Michael B. Schulz
Much of my current work seeks to broaden our understanding of string theory compactifications, both to gain deeper insight into the mathematical structure of the theory, as well as a more complete picture of how ten dimensional string theory gives rise to realistic four dimensional quantum field theories that can describe our world...
Research Resources for Students
- Writing a Cover Letter Tips and Sample
- General advice for writing a successful application (this one is focused on the National Institute of Health, but is still generally applicable).
- Summer Science Research
- Conference Travel Award
- Possible support from faculty external grants (check with individual physics faculty members)
- Search for off-campus REU programs: https://www.science.gov/
- American Physical Society Undergraduate Research Resources
- APS/IBM Research Internship for Undergraduate Women
- National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates, NSF REU *
- NSF Center for Engineering Mechanobiology (CEMB) REU
- Pennsylvania Space Grant Consortium (thorough list of NASA related internship opportunities)
- Argonne National Lab
- Lawrence Livermore National Lab
- Fermi National Lab Internships for Physics Majors
- Sandia National Laboratory
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- Los Alamos National Laboratory Student Programs
- Ames Laboratory SULI Program
- NIST SURF Program *
- Caltech SURF Program
- MIT Lincoln Lab Summer Research Program *
- STScI Space Astronomy Summer Program
- MSU Solar Physics/Astronomy & Space Physics REU
- Laser Interferometric Gravitational Observatory (LIGO)
- Biomedical Sciences at Medical College of Wisconsin
*International Students are not eligible for these opportunities.
Contact Us
Department of Physics
Park Science Building
Bryn Mawr College
101 N. Merion Avenue
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-2899
Phone: 610-526-5358