Federal Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Physics awarded $455,626 to the California Institute of Technology under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) to renew and operate a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program in gravitational-wave science associated with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) project. The award, effective April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2029, will support ten undergraduate students annually for ten-week summer research internships over the three-year period. Students participate in mentored research projects spanning detector technology, data analysis, and source modeling under the guidance of professional scientists from LIGO Laboratory, Caltech's Theoretical Astrophysics group, and the global LIGO Scientific Collaboration.

The program delivers comprehensive workforce development and research training services including hands-on experience with precision measurement systems, optics, lasers, electronics, servo controls, mechanical systems, data analysis, numerical relativity, astrophysical source modeling, software development, artificial intelligence, quantum information science, and high-throughput computing. All participants develop professional scientific communication skills through project proposals, progress reports, and end-of-summer presentations and reports. The REU Site program provides undergraduate researchers with direct experience in cutting-edge astrophysics at the frontiers of strong-field gravity and observational science, enabling students to contribute meaningfully to a major scientific research effort while acquiring technical skills applicable across diverse technical careers.