EXPECTATIONS FOR ALL SUMMER STUDENTS AT CNF
This year, the CNF is hosting and working with 16 summer undergraduate researchers from the following six programs; the 2024 Cornell NanoScale Science & Technology Facility Research Experience for Undergraduates (CNF REU) Program, the 2024 Cornell NanoScale Science & Technology Facility Research Experience for Undergraduates Program with Morgan State University (CNF REU MSU), the Butcher Funded Tuskegee University Summer Program, the 2024 Cornell Robert Frederick Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering FMRG: Cyber (CBE FMRG: Cyber) Summer Program, the Cornell Center for Materials Research North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University (CCMR NC A&T) Summer Program, and the 2024 Xing Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP).
I mean. WHEW. We are going to have FUN together! But. That is just TOO MUCH to say when talking to you all and way too much to type when referring to you all, and so. I hearby decree that ALL the summer undergraduate researchers are officially called "CNF REUs" -- and ALL the summer PIs and Mentors, and ALL the CNF Staff are called the CNF REU Community!!
Sometimes, something will come up that does not pertain to a particular program and we'll suss that out together. But to make things easier on me -- and quicker for you -- y'all are all CNF REU!
What follows is for all 16 students with some small exceptions!
Please read these expectations carefully and keep them close by for the summer.
April & May:
- Work with Melanie-Claire and Rebecca Vliet on stipend payments, and travel and housing arrangements.
- Contact your Principal Investigator and/or Mentors (PI/M) to learn about your research project; get any advance reading materials that might be helpful to understanding your project.
- Submit your First Assignment to Melanie-Claire (MC) by Wednesday, May 29th (NOTE: MC will be on vacation May 20-28)
June:
- Attend the CNF REU Program!
- Arrive Saturday, June 1st.
- Orientation Day is Tuesday, June 4th.
- Attend the CNF Short Course (TCN) and your New User Training / Tool Trainings.
- Research! This internship must be your only work focus during the ten-week period.
- Attend research group meetings, trainings and check-ins, etc., as requested. Take photographs! Email them to MC!
- It is CRITICAL that you learn how to save SEM and AFM images at the highest dpi / contrast possible! ASK YOUR MENTORS HOW NOW!!
- Stop by and chat with Melanie-Claire weekly, 360 Duffield Hall.
July:
- Research! Take photographs of you and your fellow interns working in the lab! Email them to Melanie-Claire.
- Attend any tours or special events set up as part of the program. Take photographs!
- Begin preparing your convocation presentation and final report! Ask your PI/M – “What have we done so far that I should report on?” If you create one PowerPoint slide and summary paragraph each week, you’ll have your presentation and poster done by August, and have a solid outline for your final report. Remember – gather good, high resolution SEM and AFM images.
- Stop by and chat with Melanie-Claire weekly, 360 Duffield Hall.
August:
- Work towards finishing up your research. Take photographs! Email them to Melanie-Claire!
- Put the final touches on your presentation for the CNF REU Nano-Convocation and the NNCI REU Convocation.
- Work on your FINAL REPORT with your PI and Mentors.
- Attend the 2024 CNF REU Nano-Convocation on Thursday, August 1st. Dress professionally please!
- Attend the 2024 NNCI REU Convocation in Nebraska. Dress professionally please!
- Submit your FINAL REPORT by WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14TH.
- Submit your Program Evaluation by Friday, August 23rd.
(A portion of your stipend is withheld until I receive your final report and evaluation.)
PLEASE NOTE:
If at any time during the CNF REU +Adopted Programs, your PI and/or Program Coordinator determine that you are not living up to these expectations, we reserve the right to terminate your internship award. You will not be required to reimburse the CNF for any expenses, but [1] you will not collect any unpaid stipend, [2] your housing arrangements will be terminated, and [3] you will be sent home at your own expense.
BASIC AND ABRIDGED RULES FOR CNF REU FINAL REPORT
NOW DUE WEDNESDAY AUGUST 14TH!
1. One Thousand (1000) Words Maximum. Four (4) Graphics Maximum.
2. Name All Files and Emails -- YourlastnameFinalReport.pdf, YourlastnameFig1.jpg, etc.
3. Please DO NOT Format Your Report -- NO columns/bold/styles/hypertext/indenting/tabs/etc.
4. You will send your report in two "parts" -- a PDF for the written report and JPEGs/PNGs for the graphics.
5. Final Reports are due to your Principal Investigator(s), Mentor(s) & Melanie-Claire by August 14th.
Dear CNF REU Intern:
Over the coming summer, you will be working with your principal investigator(s) and mentor(s) (PI/M) on a final report, which will be placed in perpetuity on the 2024 CNF REU Program website — and many will be included in the CNF Research Accomplishments (CNF RA). The CNF RA will be made available to the CNF community, National Science Foundation, general public, and the CNF REU Program participants of course (a hard copy will be mailed to you). The CNF RA will also be placed on the web in PDF. And of course, the 2024 CNF REU Program website is public. Such a wide distribution requires that you put your best effort into your research, first, and into the accurate reporting of same, second. While I unfortunately have little influence on the former requirement, I do have much to do with the latter. For many of you, this will be your first technical report and giving your full attention to the rules of reporting will serve you well as your research career progresses.
Please read and follow the instructions carefully. Consider this real-world experience.
NOTE! MC will be soliciting annual reports from the CNF User Community, due in July. If you see these announcements and reminders, they are NOT meant for YOU! Your final report is not due until Friday, August 14th.
Start by sitting down each week with your PI/M to work on an outline for your report. This will also assist you in pulling together your presentation and poster for the convocations. Your PI/M will know what you can leave out and what you need to put in, in order to submit an accurate and compelling report of your research. For instance, most everyone needs to spin resist, pattern it, and get rid of it. So don’t spend a lot of time and words explaining the exact spin speed and pattern/etch/lift-off process — cover all that in a sentence or two. Instead, tell us how the device worked — or didn't, as the case may be. That is what makes your research unique and interesting. Also, when you are training on imaging tools, ask how to take images at as high a resolution as possible! At least 300 dpi and nothing less than 200.
YOU MUST STICK TO THE 1000 WORD, FOUR GRAPHICS MAXIMUMS. Again, consider this real-world experience in reporting. The American Chemical Society requires authors to read a 448-page document before even submitting an article! So our instructions and requirements are pretty tame in comparison.
** VERY IMPORTANT **
[1] YOUR PI MUST APPROVE YOUR REPORT BEFORE YOU SUBMIT IT, SO BE SURE TO PLAN PLENTY OF TIME FOR THIS!
[2] Email your approved final report to your PI(s), Mentor(s), AND Melanie-Claire by Friday, August 14th. You must include them all because Melanie-Claire must have proof that the report you send her is the same one you have worked on with your principal investigator and mentors.
[3] YOUR FINAL STIPEND PAYMENT DEPENDS ON ALL THESE RULES BEING FOLLOWED. YOUR ATTENTION LITERALLY PAYS OFF!