Simons-NSBP Scholars visit Yale Physics

On July 15, the Simons-NSBP Scholars Program (SNSP) visited the Yale Physics Department to learn about the graduate program and tour laboratories. 

SNSP is a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) jointly organized by the National Society of Black Physicists and the Simons Foundation. As a part of the program, scholars conduct computational research with Simons Foundation-affiliated scientists for about 10 weeks at the Flatiron Institute in New York City. 

The program opened at the Sloane Physics Laboratory (SPL) with a welcome by Larry Gladney, FAS Dean of Science and professor of physics and Sarah Demers, professor and chair of physics.   

Next was a panel about “Life in Grad School” moderated by Rona Ramos, Yale Physics graduate services coordinator, with Yale Physics graduate student panelists Jackie Baeza-Rubio, Evan Craft, and Carlton Smith. 

The group then joined SNSP program alumni who are currently at Yale for lunch at Kline Tower. Alumni included Smith, Latvia Thompson, graduate student in physics and Omokhuwele Umoru, graduate student in applied physics. 

In the afternoon, the SNSP students attended a graduate admissions question and answer session at SPL with the Director of Graduate Studies Helen Caines, Horace D. Taft Professor of Physics, and Director of Graduate Admissions David Moore, associate professor of physics. 

The group then toured the Emonet Lab in the Yale Science Building and Wright Lab, interacting with a variety of Yale Physics researchers including students, postdocs, and faculty, and learning about their diverse research programs. 

Finally, the group toured the Yale Campus, led by the Yale Visitor Center.