GROWTH-MSI

Growth and Research Opportunities With Traineeship in High-energy-physics (GROWTH) at a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) is a Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC) funded program under the Division of High Energy Physics (HEP). The goal is offer undergraduates from Northern California CSUs and UC Merced the opportunity to gain exposures and develop their interests in High Energy Physics. If you are interested in learning more about this program and/or how does subatomic particles affect the entire Universe, please contact the PI: Prof. Wing To at wto@csustan.edu no matter which institution you reside.

Program Outline

Community Support:

• Be a part of a community of learners of Particle Physics by getting an introductory course with other CSUs and UC Merced student
• Get engage into the Particle Physics careers by attending weekly seminars hosted by DOE Scientists
• Connect with other CSUs and UC Merced students online through growth-msi.slack.com

Qualifications:

• Full Time Student Majoring in Physics at: (Campus Liaison, Email Contact)
  • Stanislaus State University (Prof. Wing To, wto@csustan.edu)
  • Sonoma State University (Prof. Alexandra Miller, millerale@sonoma.edu)
  • San Francisco State University (Prof. Maarten Golterman, maarten@sfsu.edu)
  • Cal State Univ. East Bay (Prof. Katherine Grimm, kathryn.grimm@csueastbay.edu)
  • Fresno State University (Prof. Yongsheng Gao,  yogao@csufresno.edu)
  • University of California, Merced (Prof. Anna Nierenberg, anierenberg@ucmerced.edu)
• Completed the Calculus-Based Introductory Physics Series with B- or better. If any grades are lower, explanation required on application.
• Completed/Completing or Plans to Enroll (Spring 2024) in ALL of the following courses:
  • Mathematical Physics or Equivalent at your Institution
  • Modern Physics or Equivalent at your Institution
• Able to enroll in PHYS4450 Spring 2024 term (Introduction to Particle Physics) through CSUFullyOnline.com or through Open University from Extended Education. MWF 11-11:50 Synchronously via Zoom.
• Able to attend a weekly seminar on Friday 2PM via Zoom Spring 2024 term.
• Able to take part in a Summer 2024 Paid Traineeship at one of the following Department of Energy research sites in-person:
  • Lawrence Livermore National Lab (Dr. Jingke Xu, xu12@llnl.gov)
  • Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (Simon Knapen, smknapen@lbl.gov)
  • UC Berkeley (Gabriel Orebi Gann, gorebigann@lbl.gov)
  • SLAC National Accelerator Lab (Maria-Elena Monzani, monzani@slac.stanford.edu)
  • UC Santa Barbara (David Stuart, stuart@stuart.physics.ucsb.edu)

Application Due Dec 1st, 2023

Gather the following for the application:

• Contact 1 or more of your professor for a Letter of Reference to be sent directly to wto@csustan.edu
• Have your latest unofficial transcript in PDF format
• Draft an essay (up to 500 words) on your interests in Physics, if there are any subfields in Physics you're like to pursue a career in and your career goals. It is best to do this on a word processor beforehand and paste it into the application box.
• Draft an essay (up to 500 words) on any struggles you have overcome or are still overcoming. Provide any information that might be suitable DEI goals of the program. It is best to do this on a word processor beforehand and paste it into the application box.

Complete the application form before Dec 1st, 2023

• Application Form
• If there are any questions, contact Wing To, wto@csustan.edu and/or your campus's liaison from the Qualification section of this page.