Each year since early 2000s, CSU sets aside a big chuck of money (~$250k) to support summer undergraduate research on campus. The money is distributed on a competitive basis through Undergraduate Summer Research Award (USRA) for which faculty submit proposals. The funded proposals hire undergraduates for summer research on campus. Each summer several physics majors or inspiring physics majors get hired by physics faculty.

In 2025, at least four students worked with physics professors on the USRA projects. Among them, physics major Emily Schaffer (left) worked with Dr. Resnick on the project titled “Characterizing Mechanical Properties of Primary Cilia Using Optical Trapping”. 

Another physics major Jacob Forester (right) worked with Dr. Streletzky on the project titled “Building a Software Package for Multiangle and Depolarized Dynamic Light Scattering Analysis”. 

Additionally, a third physics major, Michael Angelo De La Cruz Ortiz (below left) worked over the summer on his McNair project “An Iterative Quadratic Solution to the True Anomaly for Keplerian Orbits” advised by Dr. Zurcher. On September 18, 2025, all USRA students had to present a poster on the results of their summer projects at the Undergraduate Summer Research Award Poster Session. McNair students and CSU-based Soft Matter REU students (Joel McRaven and Patrick Barrett) have also been invited to participate in this poster session. The Department of Physics had its annual poster competition among undergraduate physics summer projects at this event. This year the posters were judged by Dr. Walker, Dr. Fodor and Dr. Heus. The winner of the Best Summer Undergraduate Research Project award was chosen to be Emily Schaffer. Congratulations, Emily!