REU Site: Pioneering the Future at the Unique Compact X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility

The Compact X-ray Free Electron Laser Facility at Arizona State University features two groundbreaking, first-of-their-kind pulsed X-ray sources. This new Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site offers a unique opportunity for undergraduate students from diverse disciplines across the U.S. to contribute to the design, construction, and commissioning of these cutting-edge X-ray sources.

Participants will also engage in the first scientific experiments exploring applications in quantum materials, biochemistry, atomic and molecular science, optical science, and medicine. This program aims to increase the national STEM talent pool by recruiting participants from a broad range of institutions, including minority-serving institutions, local community colleges, and tribal colleges.

Beyond the research experience, students will attend project management meetings and participate in professional development workshops and scientific seminars. By the conclusion of the program, participants will have developed critical skills, gained confidence, and contributed to advancing the field, all while preparing for advanced studies and careers in STEM.

Over the course of a 10-week summer program, participants in this REU Site will gain hands-on experience constructing and commissioning novel X-ray sources and planning and executing scientific experiments. The program’s educational goal is to develop independent researchers who can apply scientific principles across various disciplines. Due to the diversity of expertise available among faculty mentors, students will be recruited from fields including physics, engineering, computer science, chemistry, and biology.

Science questions increasingly focus on understanding events, changes, and structures at the smallest atomic scales across a wide range of disciplines. The two Compact X-ray Light Sources produce sub-femtosecond X-ray pulses, which enable advanced studies to directly observe, manipulate, and control quantum dynamics in complex materials, molecules, and interfaces.

These capabilities will reveal novel biological processes, enable new energy-efficient technologies, and decode quantum behavior that can drive new computing methods and novel materials. Students will work on projects aligned with their interests, contributing to the advancement of these multidisciplinary X-ray sources and the broader field of ultrafast X-ray science.

They will also gain valuable insights into project management within the context of a large-scale academic research initiative. The program concludes with a dedicated symposium where participants present their research findings. Students are further encouraged to share their work through peer-reviewed publications and at national conferences.

This unique environment offers undergraduates valuable exposure to the interdisciplinary nature of large-scale research facilities, preparing them for advanced degrees and careers in STEM.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.