Continuing the Connecting of LSST Undergraduate Internships with the CIERA REU Program

We request a total of $38,250 to fund three undergraduate students to perform LSST related research, mentored by CIERA faculty and researchers, for the 2018 summer and the following academic year. CIERA can support one additional undergraduate student for LSST research (as we also did during our successful 2017 LSSTC Enabling Science grant). Broadly, the students will research (i) SNe and transients, (ii) eclipsing binaries, and (iii) multi-messenger astronomy with gravitational waves. All projects build off of results from our previous grant. During the summer, these students will be fully integrated into our vibrant NSF-funded REU program, including the many professional development workshops and trainings our REU students participate in. All four LSST students could present their work at LSST2018. Integrating these LSST students within our REU program will expose them to astrophysics in its interdisciplinary context and train them in a variety of additional skills, preparing them for a wide range of professional paths.