About the Program

2025 REU PROGRAM DATES:  June 1 – August 9.
Applications will be accepted December 15, 2024 – March 15, 2025.

This NSF REU Site is focused on Integrated Nanomanufacturing, a vital research area involving nanoscale structures, devices, and systems. Integrated nanomanufacturing research supports a wide range of applications in biotechnology and healthcare, semiconductor electronics, computing, artificial intelligence, and energy. REU participants will share in mentored research and discovery, exploring nanoscale systems, fabricating novel devices, and engineering new materials, while developing critical skills, awareness, and confidence to advance in academics and research in the future.

The REU Site in Integrated Nanomanufacturing (REU INM) is run closely with several other REU opportunities:

  • NSF Engineering Research Center in Cellular Metamaterials (CELL-MET) REU focused on cardiac tissue engineering.
  • BU Photonics Undergraduate Research Summer Experience (PURSuE) positions for rising seniors with photonics and optics interest and experience who plan to apply for graduate study at Boston University.
  • BU Materials Science REU opportunities for students interested in materials and engineering.

REU participants will work with faculty and graduate student mentors to develop skills needed to excel in academic and industry research environments. Research projects are interdisciplinary and may involve biomedical, mechanical, electrical & computer, and materials science engineering; physics, chemistry, and biology; and photonics and optics. Students enrolled in STEM degree programs at 2- or 4-year colleges are welcome to apply. Preference will be given to highly motivated students who do not have access to comparable research opportunities through their home institutions.

Program Components

  • The program for 2025 will run from Sunday, June 1 – Saturday, August 9.
  • The program provides financial support of $7,000 for the 10-week period. In addition, it will cover reasonable travel expenses and provide dormitory apartment-style housing on BU’s campus.
  • Students will participate in a variety of enrichment and professional development activities. These include workshops covering laboratory procedures (such as photolithography and microscopy), science communications, research ethics, career exploration, online portfolios and networking, and how to apply to graduate school.
  • Students will be able to showcase their research through a power point presentation midway through the summer and a poster session in the final week.
  • Research will be balanced with some planned social activities, such as a Boston-themed tour and BU scavenger hunt. Most social activities will be organized by the REUs themselves, as they explore the City of Boston together.
  • REU participants will be matched with faculty mentors and labs based on research interests, skill sets, and available openings. A few students who express a preference for work involving nanotechnology translation will be placed with biotechnology and nanotechnology startup company labs located at BU’s Business Innovation Center. All participants will work on a defined project with guidance and mentoring from faculty and graduate students or startup R&D teams. No prior research experience is required, and novice researchers are encouraged to apply.

Note: Student participants in NSF-funded REU programs must be US citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Students in BU-funded REU programs may be non-US citizens who are studying at a US college.

TO APPLY for any or all of these REU opportunities, please visit: https://www.bu.edu/photonics-reu/apply/. Please email phoreu@bu.edu if you have questions.