Research Immersion in Materials Science and Engineering (RIMSE)

RIMSE Summer Schools: Training Opportunities for Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students, Post-Graduate Trainees, High School Students, K-12 Educators, Visiting Scholars, and Researchers from Industry, Government, and National Laboratories.

What is RIMSE? RIMSE stands for Research Immersion in Materials Science and Engineering. Sponsored by the U.S. National Science Foundation as part of the UC San Diego Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC), the RIMSE Summer Schools are immersive, hands-on courses meant to prepare trainees to work in Materials Science and Materials Engineering research laboratories.  They generally run for 8 to 10-weeks each summer on the UC San Diego campus. The UC San Diego MRSEC currently runs four RIMSE schools:

• the Summer School for Predictive Assembly
• the Summer School for Engineered Living Materials
• the Summer School for Silicon Nanotechnology
• the SPEC Battery Boot Camp

Who can participate in RIMSE? The RIMSE schools are unique in that they blend researchers from a wide range of backgrounds and educational levels - your team may include local high school students, undergraduate students (including incoming UC San Diego transfer students and REU students), graduate students (including incoming UC San Diego PhD and MS program students), post-doctoral trainees, k-12 teachers (through the RET program), and visiting international scholars, industry researchers, or government laboratory researchers (through the Researcher in Residence program).

What are the Program Elements of RIMSE? Focused on materials science research in topics of interest to the UC San Diego MRSEC, each of the four RIMSE Summer Schools are run by MRSEC faculty who serve as senior mentors and/or instructors. Each RIMSE begins with an intensive training in theory, techniques and laboratory methods, and includes  a capstone “Discovery Project”—an independent research project implemented by the trainee in a small team and under the mentorship of a current UC San Diego MRSEC researcher. Though each Summer School runs its own topical curriculum, they share common activities including:

• Training on several of the key analytical instruments used in materials science (in the MRSEC Materials Characterization Facility).
• “Pathways” luncheon seminars given by academic, industry, and government laboratory scientists that give insights into STEM career paths.
• Professional development workshops (research safety, research ethics, science communication, information literacy, graduate school / career preparation).
• Team building activities including nature hikes, beach days, and a kayak tour of the La Jolla cove.
• A final projects day oral presentation at the UC San Diego Summer Research Conference (SRC).

Each school emphasizes different research aspects related to the MRSEC, including soft materials and biomaterials, self-assembled materials, and computational design, and they share a set of core training elements focused on: research-critical instrumentation (electron microscopy, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, x-ray and electron diffraction methods); integration of computational methods; critical laboratory safety and the safe handling of chemical, biological, and nanotechnological hazards; and research ethics.

Dates: In Summer 2023, the RIMSE summer schools will run from Monday, June 26 through Friday, August 18, 2023 (8 weeks). Trainees have the option to extend their laboratory research participation for longer periods, depending on the particular Summer School and participant category.

Expectations of Participants: Full-time commitment to immersive lab work and engagement in program activities (weekly Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm), including presentation at the UC San Diego Summer Research Conference (SRC) in mid-August.

Application: The different participant categories have different application processes (see below). The deadlines vary by participant category. In addition to completing a registration form, you will be asked to select a RIMSE school (and potential MRSEC faculty mentor) that best fits your interests, and to submit the following application materials:

• Personal Statement
• CV/Resume
• Current Transcript (if applicable)
• 2 Letters of Reference

APPLICATION LINK: To submit your application through the RIMSE application portal, click HERE.

Participant Categories:

• Undergraduate Students at UC San Diego - Application Deadline May 1, 2023
  Application is managed through the RIMSE application portal. You should reach out to your potential MRSEC IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty Mentor prior to applying. Funding may be available to support housing and stipend (see below).
• Undergraduate students from California State University at Long Beach (CSULB) -  Application deadline May 1, 2023
  The UC San Diego MRSEC has a partnership with the California State University at Long Beach (CSULB) that is funded through the sponsorship of the UC Doctoral Diversity Initiative program that recruits CSULB undergraduate students to participate in RIMSE. Application is managed through the RIMSE application portal, but you must contact the lead CSULB faculty representative, Prof. Fangyuan Tian prior to submission of your application through the RIMSE application portal.  Funding is provided for summer housing and stipend (see below).
• Undergraduate Students from Other Schools Who are US citizens or Permanent Residents -  Application CLOSED (deadline for 2024 RIMSE will be January 30, 2023)
  Undergraduate students who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions currently enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year program, who have been admitted to the UC San Diego MRSEC REU program (or the allied SDNI REU program).  Funding is provided for summer housing, travel, and stipend (see below).
• Undergraduate Students from Other Schools Who are not US citizens or Permanent Residents - Application CLOSED (deadline for 2024 RIMSE January 30, 2024)
  A select number of undergraduate students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions are incorporated into the program through petition of the various MRSEC IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty. Application is managed via petition; reach out to a MRSEC IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty to have them petition the MRSEC RIMSE program leadership for admission to RIMSE. No funding is available from MRSEC for non-US participants.
• Entering UC San Diego MS or PhD students - Application deadline May 1, 2023
  Students entering the MS or PhD programs in departments allied with the UC San Diego MRSEC (Bioengineering, Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanoengineering, or Physics), and who have interests in joining a MRSEC-funded IRG Project or Seed Project for their graduate studies are eligible. Your graduate school application serves as your application to the RIMSE program, so you need not submit an additional application. However, you must submit a letter of intent to participate, and your proposed MRSEC IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty Mentor must submit a letter of nomination on your behalf. Funding is provided for summer housing and stipend (see below).
• Researchers from Industry, Government Laboratory, or Academic Institutions - Application deadline May 1, 2023
  Researchers from companies, US Government laboratories, or other academic institutions participate in RIMSE via the Researcher in Residence program.  Examples of these types of participants are PhD or MS scientists working in an industrial research lab, visiting faculty from other colleges or universities, or Senior Scientists working at a government laboratory. Application is managed via the NSF ETAP portal; however, you must submit a letter of intent to participate, and your proposed MRSEC IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty Mentor must submit a letter of nomination on your behalf.  It is expected that you will have already engaged with a MRSEC  IRG Project or Seed Project faculty member, and have worked with them to formulate a “Discovery” project that resonates with that faculty's research interests.   Generally the living and travel expenses for participation in RIMSE are covered by this applicant type's home institution.
• K-12 educators -  Application deadline May 1, 2023
  K-12 educators from US schools generally participate through the UC San Diego MRSEC RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) program.  Application is managed via the NSF ETAP portal; however, you should reach out to a MRSEC  IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty prior to applying.  It is expected that the prospective trainee will have already engaged with this faculty member or a member of their research team who has agreed to serve as their mentor, and have worked with them to formulate a “Discovery” project that resonates with that faculty's research interests.  The personal statement in the application should propose a project that is of a scope and complexity suitable for the summer period, and it should identify the potential RIMSE mentor(s). Participants receive a stipend, and UCSD on-campus housing, if needed, is covered.
• High School Students - Application deadline May 1, 2023 (for the 2024 RIMSE the deadline will be January 30, 2024)
  A select number of high school students who live locally (the residential program cannot accommodate minors) are incorporated into the program. Application is managed via the NSF ETAP portal; however, you should reach out to a MRSEC  IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty prior to applying.  It is expected that the prospective trainee will have sufficient independence and initiative to have researched the potential faculty member, have already engaged with this faculty member or a member of their research team who has agreed to serve as their mentor, and have worked with them to formulate a “Discovery” project that resonates with that faculty's research interests.  The personal statement in the application should propose a project that is of a scope and complexity suitable for the summer period, and it should identify the potential RIMSE mentor(s). No funding is available from MRSEC for high school participants.

Funding: There is no charge for participation in the RIMSE program. However, participants must have their own support for travel, living expenses, health insurance, and foreign participants must cover any applicable visa fees. For participants needing support for travel, housing, and other living expenses, the UC San Diego MRSEC coordinates with a number of programs that might provide full or partial support for your participation in RIMSE:

• The CENTER Undergraduate Summer Research Award program supports summer research activities for UC San Diego Undergraduate Students that can be used to support your participation in RIMSE.  You are encouraged to engage with one of the MRSEC IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty to work up a suitable project and application. MRSEC RIMSE leadership can provide a letter of support, if needed (APPLICATION LINK).
• NETPORE organization: NETPORE is a European Union-funded COST (Cooperation in Science and Technology) action that supports research and education in porous semiconductors and oxides. NETPORE partners with the UC San Diego MRSEC for research exchange activities involving the various faculty involved in NETPORE and their students.
• RET (Research Experiences for Teachers): K-12 educators are eligible to apply for funding via the UC San Diego MRSEC RET program. Participants receive a stipend, and UCSD on-campus housing, if needed, is covered. Deadline for application is Monday, May 1, 2023 (RET 2023 APPLICATION LINK).
• REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates): Undergraduate students who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions currently enrolled in a 2-year or 4-year program, who have been admitted to the UC San Diego MRSEC REU program (or the allied SDNI REU program) are granted stipends, on-campus housing, and travel costs. Deadline for application is Monday, January 30, 2023 (REU 2023 APPLICATION LINK).
• RIMSE Summer Graduate Fellowships: Students entering the MS or PhD programs in departments allied with the UC San Diego MRSEC (Bioengineering, Biology, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Nanoengineering, or Physics), and who have interests in joining a MRSEC-funded research lab for their graduate studies, are granted Research Assistantship stipends and assistance with on-campus housing for the summer prior to the commencement of their graduate studies. Anyone accepted into the PhD or MS programs of the the above listed departments is eligible, though the number of these summer fellowships is limited and the prospective RIMSE participant must be nominated by one of the MRSEC faculty. If you are interested, please engage with a MRSEC faculty member whose research interests are most aligned with your interests, and request that they submit a letter of nomination to the MRSEC RIMSE program leadership. Your graduate school application serves as your application to the RIMSE program, so you need not submit an additional application. However, you must submit a letter of intent to participate, and your MRSEC faculty member must submit a letter of nomination on your behalf.  The number of RIMSE Summer Graduate Fellowships is limited. Deadline for application is Monday, May 1, 2023.
• SPEC Undergraduate Research Fellowship: The SPEC Battery Boot Camp, one of the four RIMSE Summer Schools, offers stipends for selected students that are funded by the UC San Diego  Sustainable Power and Energy Center (SPEC).
  
• UC Doctoral Diversity Initiative program: The UC San Diego MRSEC has a partnership with the California State University at Long Beach (CSULB) that is funded through the sponsorship of the UC Doctoral Diversity Initiative, which covers stipends, on-campus housing, and limited travel costs for CSULB undergraduate students to participate in RIMSE.  Application is managed through the RIMSE application portal, but you must contact the lead CSULB faculty representative, Prof. Fangyuan Tian prior to submission of your application through the RIMSE application portal.  Application deadline is Monday, May 1, 2023.
• UC San Diego Undergraduate Research Hub: The UC San Diego Undergraduate Research Hub maintains links to numerous programs that support summer research activities and that can be used to support your participation in RIMSE. Most of the programs described at the above links require an application that proposes the research project on which you will be working. You are encouraged to engage with one of the MRSEC IRG Project or Seed Project Faculty to work up a suitable project and application. MRSEC RIMSE leadership can provide a letter of support, if needed.

RIMSE Summer Schools are coordinated with the following UC San Diego MS and PhD programs:
Chemistry & Biochemistry | Nanoengineering | Bioengineering | Materials Science & Engineering

If you have questions, please contact mrsec@ucsd.edu
UC San Diego MRSEC 2023 RIMSE Summer Schools flyer