2026 REU Schedule
2026 REU Schedule
Week 1: May 26 - 29, 2026
| Tuesday, May 26 | ||
| 5:00 PM | REU arrival | REU participants arrive at Presby Hall |
| Wednesday, May 27 | Orientation- Day 1 | Meeting in MRL 208 (Materials Research Laboratory #208) ***Bring your photo ID to get your iCard*** |
| 9:00am | Light breakfast is provided | |
| 9:30am | Overview of program and expectations | |
| 10:20am | I-STEM intro & evaluation | |
| 10:45am | Photos / Get iCard | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch with mentor(s). The REU mentor: please pick up your boxed lunch and meet your REU student in MRL 208. You will be using this time and the afternoon to discuss summer research project with your mentee. | |
| Thursday, May 28 | Orientation- Day 2 | Meeting in MRL 208 |
| 9:00am | Light breakfast is provided | |
| 9:30am | Discussion on research / LinkedIn source | |
| 10:00am | Panel: Making the most of your REU with former MRSEC REU participants | |
| 11:00am | Literature search and citation management with a librarian | |
| 12:00pm | Lunch | |
| Firday, May 29 | ||
| 11:00am | MRL tour | Tour of MRL facilities, meet outside of Suerpcon 2009 (*** Long pants, closed toe shoes, shirts with sleeves, long hair tied back***) |
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Networking | Ice cream social in Tunner Hall Atrium with REU students from campus. (We will meet in front of MRL building at 3:40pm and walk together to Tunner Hall.) |
Week 2: June 1 - 5 , 2026
| Tuesday, June 2 | ||
| 8:00am | AMC Workshop-Day 1 |
AMC workshop schedule is here. The tutorials and workshops are in ESB 190. The breakfast, coffee breaks and reception are in Supercon 2008. The boxed lunch pick up is in MRL 208. |
| Wednesday, June 3 | ||
| 8:00am | AMC Workshop-Day 2 |
AMC workshop schedule is here. The tutorials and workshops are in ESB 190. The breakfast, coffee breaks and reception are in Supercon 2008. The boxed lunch pick up is in MRL 208. |
| Thursday, June 4 | ||
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development |
ISRPA Professional Development: Being a good mentee. It's located in Natural History Building 2079. |
Week 3: June 8 - 12 , 2026
| Monday, June 8 | ||
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | ISRPA Professional Development: Ethic Training. It's located in ANSC 150. |
| Wednesday, June 10 | ||
| 12:30pm - 2:00pm | MRSEC REU Lunch Seminar | Lunch is provided. We will meet with Prof. Josh Vura-Weis from Chemistry Department in Supercon 2008. |
| Thursday, June 11 | ||
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Graduate School Info section | Meeting Physics Graduate program rep in Supercon 2008 |
Week 4: June 15 - 19 , 2026
| Monday, June 15 | ||
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | ISRPA Professional Development: Research Presentations. It's located in ESB 190. |
| Wednesday, June 17 | ||
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | MRSEC REU Lunch Seminar | Lunch is provided. We will meet with Prof. Nicola Perry from Materials Science and Engineering Department in Supercon 2008. |
| Thursday, June 18 | ||
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | ISRPA Professional Development: Scientific Posters. It's located in ESB 190. |
| Friday, June 19 | Holiday! |
Week 5: June 22 - 26 , 2026
| Monday, June 22 | ||
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | ISRPA Professional Development: Stress Management. It's located in Mumford 103 |
| Wednesday, June 24 | ||
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | MRSEC REU Lunch Seminar | Lunch is provided. Panel discussion with a MRSEC grad student and a former MRSEC REU student in Supercon 2008 |
| Thursday, June 25 | ||
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Cookies & Coffee Hour | Networking with faculty, staff, postdocs, and grad students from MRSEC and MRL in MRL 280 |
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | **ISRPA Professional Development: Scientific Writing. It's located in ANSC 150 |
Week 6: June 29 - July 3 , 2026
| Monday, June 29 | ||
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | ISRPA Professional Development: After Graduation: Fear, Freedom, and Figuring it Out. It's located in Mumford 103. |
| Tuesday, June 30 | ||
| 3:00pm - 5:00pm | Mid-program Presentation & I-STEM mid assessment | In Supercon 2008. REU students will share a 3 slide, 5 minutes presentation that sums up the work they have done so far. The mid-program presentation guideline is here and the template is here. A short I-STEM mid assessment will be followed. |
| Wednesday, July 1 | ||
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | MRSEC REU Lunch Seminar | Lunch is provided. Meeting with Prof. Pinshane Huang from Materials Science and Engineering Department in Supercon 2008. |
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Graduate School Info section | Meeting Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Graduate program rep, Prof. Sing in Supercon 2008 |
| 5:00pm | Registration is Due Today for STEM Career Exploration & Symposium! |
You will be doing the poster presentation at this event (7/30/2026). Here is the link for registration which is due TODAY! Once you registered the program, you will receive an email with a link to the title submission form. The title submission is due July 20. Please work with your REU mentor before submitting it. |
| Friday, July 3 | Holiday! |
Week 7: July 6 - 10 , 2026
| Monday, July 6 | ||
| 1:00pm - 4:00pm | Outreach | Assisting Quantum Summer Camp with the lesson leader: Max |
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Networking/Professional Development | **ISRPA Professional Development: Resume/LinkedIn Review Session + social w other REUs on campus. Please bring your resume for review. It's located in the Sieble Center for Design |
| Tuesday, July 7 | ||
| 7:30am- | Field Trip: Fermilab | Tour Fermilab with MRSEC REUs from U of Michigan |
| 3:00pm- | Field Trip: U of Chicago | Networking with MRSEC REUs from U of Chicago, U of Michigan, and Ohio State University |
| Wednesday, July 8 | ||
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | MRSEC REU Lunch Seminar | Lunch is provided. Meeting with Prof. Andre Schleife from Materials Science and Engineering department in Supercon 2008 |
| Thursday, July 9 | ||
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Graduate School Info section | Meeting Chemistry Graduate program rep in Supercon 2008 |
Week 8: July 13 - 17 , 2026
| Monday, July 13 | ||
| 3:30pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | **ISRPA Professional Development: Applying to Grad School/Grad student panel. It's located in ANSC 150 |
| Tuesday, July 14 | ||
| 6:30am- | Field Trip: Argonne National Lab | Tour Argonne National Lab with I-QUIST REUs |
| Wednesday, July 15 | ||
| 12:00pm - 1:00pm | MRSEC REU Lunch Seminar | Lunch is provided. Meeting with Prof. Elif Ertekin from Mechanical Science and Engineering department in Supercon 2008 |
| Thursday, July 16 | ||
| 4:00pm - 5:00pm | Professional Development | **ISRPA Professional Development: Funding Grad School. It's located in Mumford 103 |
Week 9: July 20 - 24 , 2026
| Monday, July 20 | ||
| 3:30pm - 4:30pm | Graduate School Info section | Meeting Materials Science & Engineering Graduate program rep in Supercon 2008 |
| 5:00pm | Presentation title is Due Today for STEM Career Exploration & Symposium! | Here is the information link for presenting students. If you registered the event by July 1, you should have received an email with a link to the title submission form. The title submission is due TODAY if you haven't done so. Please work with your REU mentor before submitting it. |
| Wednesday, July 22 | ||
| 2:00pm - 3:00pm | MRSEC REU Seminar | Lunch is provided. Meeting with Prof. Shaloo Rakjeka from Electrical & Computer Engineering Department in Supercon 2008. Light snack is provided. |
| Thursday, July 23 | ||
| 8:00am | First Draft Final Paper Due | Please submit your first draft of the final paper to your REU mentor/postdoc. Here is the final paper guideline. |
| 2:30pm - 3:30pm | Cookies & Coffee Hour | Networking with faculty, staff, postdocs, and grad students from MRSEC and MRL in MRL 280 |
Week 10: July 27 - 31 , 2026
| Monday, July 27 | ||
| 9:00am - 3:00pm | Practice Final Symposium | We will be using this time to practice your final symposium in MRL 280. Here is the Final Symposium Presentation guideline. Please bring your presentation either in your laptop or a flash drive. The detailed sign up sheet will be shared in early July. |
| Wednesday, July 29 | ||
| 9:00am - 3:00pm | Final Symposium Presentation | Location: MRL 280. Here is the Final Symposium Presentation guideline. The detailed schedule and sign-up sheet will be shared in early July. |
| Thursday, July 30 | ||
| 8:00am | Final Paper Due | Please submit your final paper to kst@illinois.edu. Here is the final paper guideline. |
| 8:30am - | STEM Career Exploration and Symposium | Location: Illini Union. Please bring your iCard with you for check-in the event at the west side of first floor of the Illini Union. Here is the program. Remember to pencil your assigned poster # on the back of your poster. And be reminded: please ensure your REU mentor(s) has proofread your poster before printing it. |
| Friday, July 31 | ||
| 11:30am - 12:00pm | I-STEM final assessment | MRL 280 |
| 12:00pm - 1:30pm | Lunch | Lunch with REU mentors & mentees. Sign-up sheet and location will be announced soon. |
| Saturday, August 1 | Depart | Have a safe trip and enjoy the summer break! |