NNIN REU

[yoconman]

I was wondering if anyone knew what the nnin reu was like. I am thinking about applying for next summer (2014). Would that look better on a grad application than working on a summer research project at my school?

[mobilehobo]

I'm currently an NNIN intern and also learned a lot about the program from the 2012 interns I met at my REU that summer. First thing, NNIN REU grant is up for renewal this year, meaning there is a chance there may be no program next year. Frankly, our program directors have told us how the program has been going downhill in recent years.

 

I am doing great here though. My research is nearly finished and I'm preparing a publication in a peer-reviewed journal. All NNIN research also gets published in NNIN research accomplishments (a real publication you can use on your resume, just not peer reviewed so you are free to also submit research to peer reviewed journals). 

 

Doing NNIN instead of research at your home institution is a tricky question that would take into account various things such as the opportunities at your school and how they align with your interests. NNIN has  been a great opportunity for me because my home institution is small so research is limited. I'm also making a jump from science to engineering (which my school doesn't have) and I am highly interested in nanotechnology. Because of the REU I know have a lot of experience on nanotechnology equipment (clean room lithography, SEM, TEM etc). Plus, the stipend is usually better than people can get at their home institution (4,000 dollars, free housing, and travel to REU site, to/from convocation).

 

If you have any other questions let me know! It's a pretty competitive program, but because they give their deadline relatively late compared to other top REU programs (cornell etc), a lot of good people have to drop out of the running. They're application advice is great, so if you follow that and submit everything you should have a very strong application.